The 49ers opened Week 9 prep without two of their biggest names, as Mike Evans and Christian McCaffrey were both held out of the first practice against the Las Vegas Raiders. They were among four players who did not take part.
Evans’ situation has been building for a few weeks now. He first dealt with an Achilles injury in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks, then aggravated it the next week against the Washington Commanders. San Francisco sat him out of Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons after identifying the issue as Achilles tendinitis.
With Evans now having missed two weeks, Kyle Shanahan was asked where things stand with the receiver’s recovery.
"I think we’ve made a lot of progress," Shanahan said. "I think he’s going in the right direction.
It’s definitely something we’ve got to be smart with, but we’re not going to overly do it. We want to wait until he’s healthy, and he’s still working his way to get there."
That doesn’t offer much beyond the basic reality of the injury: Evans needs time, rest and a gradual ramp-up. At this point, he doesn’t sound close to a return, and it would be surprising if he played against the Raiders.
McCaffrey’s absence is a little different. He is still working through the hamstring injury he picked up against the Falcons, when he left early in the first half before coming back into the game. Missing Wednesday’s practice isn’t unusual for him, and it’s the kind of thing the 49ers are used to managing.
The team is listing him with a hamstring because it has to, even if he’s 90% healthy. He could also sit out Thursday and still not raise alarms. The real checkpoint is Friday practice, and if the hamstring isn’t right, the 49ers should keep him out.
Even without Evans and McCaffrey, San Francisco should feel fine about this matchup. The Raiders are one of the worst defenses in the league, and Brock Purdy should have a chance to do damage.
The other two players who missed practice were Deebo Samuel, who is dealing with a hamstring issue, and Siran Neal, who is listed with knee and foot injuries.
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Brock Purdy And Mike Evans Are Becoming A Real 49ers Weapon
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49ers Have A Clear Path To The Top Seed If They Survive This Stretch
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There is plenty of reason for the 49ers to feel good about where they stand, especially with the way the standings have broken in their favor so far. Still, the next phase is less about the record they already own and more about how they handle a series of opponents that can make life uncomfortable in different ways, from tricky venues to teams that have a history of making these kinds of late-season games matter. [Read more 🡒]