The San Francisco 49ers will be without star running back Christian McCaffrey once again this weekend—and could be operating without him for the near future.

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Friday that Christian McCaffrey is officially ruled out for his team's Sunday matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. He also said that San Francisco is considering placing McCaffrey on injured reserve, which would mean McCaffrey would miss this weekend's game against the Vikings as well as the 49ers' next three contests.

McCaffrey has been dealing with a calf injury and Achilles tendonitis, which caused him to miss San Francisco's season-opening 32–19 win over the New York Jets on Monday.

49ers third-year running back Jordan Mason filled in admirably for McCaffrey in Week 1, rushing 28 times for 147 yards and a touchdown against New York. With fellow backup Elijah Mitchell ruled out for the year, Mason is likely to receive the bulk of the 49ers' carries in McCaffrey's absence.

The 49ers are set to battle the Vikings Sunday and the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 22 on the road, before returning home to host the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 49ers to Consider Placing Christian McCaffrey on Injured Reserve.