Why isn't Christian McCaffrey playing for the 49ers against the Chiefs in Week 7?

Christian McCaffrey is eligible to be placed on the San Francisco 49ers' injured reserve (IR) list, but the star running back will remain on the sidelines in Week 7 as he continues to recover from an Achilles tendon injury that has kept him out of every game excluded this season.

The 49ers host the Kansas City Chiefs todaywith Kyle Shanahan's men looking to build on their Week 6 win over the Seattle Seahawks, which saw the Californians improve to 3-3.

When might McCaffrey return to the San Francisco 49ers?

Been McCaffrey was affected by Achilles tendonitis and was placed on IR in mid-Septemberbefore the 49ers' Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Under NFL rules, players can come off IR after four games, so San Francisco has been allowed to reactivate the 28-year-old since their Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 6. However, he remained on IR 6 for the week.

The day after the win against the Seahawks on October 10, San Francisco head coach Shanahan then confirmed that the franchise would not attempt to prepare McCaffrey for a return against the Chiefs. “He continues to improve, but we're not opening it this week” the coach told reporters.

Earlier this month, Adam Schefter, NFL insider at ESPN, reported on it The 49ers may well wait to bring McCaffrey back into the fold until after they return from their Week 9 bye. In Week 10, San Francisco will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 10th.

Speaking to Bay Area radio station KNBR on Friday, 49ers general manager John Lynch said he has not yet been able to give any public indication of when McCaffrey will return.

“(There are) no new updates other than he is doing incredibly well,” Lynch said, according to 49erswebzone. “It's about ramping up, increasing activity and making sure there are no setbacks. I could just tell people So he is on the right track. No schedules or anythingbut he does a little more – not every day. We fluctuate a bit, working hard one day and starting with more of a (recovery) day the next day.

“But if you can start stacking those up and not have any setbacks, that's a good thing, and That's pretty much the direction he's trending.”

Chiefs vs. 49ers: Start time, how to watch

The 49ers will face the Chiefs today, Sunday, October 20, 2024, at Levi's Stadium Kickoff in Santa Clara is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET/1:25 p.m. PT. Viewers in the US can watch the game on FOX and FOX Deportes. If you don't have cable, you can stream FOX's coverage on fubo, which offers a free introductory trial to new users.

Enjoy the Chiefs vs 49ers game live on Fubo.

Although the 49ers' wins and losses have been balanced so far this season, The Chiefs have won every game they have played in 2024. Most recently, the reigning Super Bowl champions defeated the New Orleans Saints 26:13 in Week 5. In Week 6, Kansas City was among four teams that had a bye week.