The San Francisco 49ers' season started with a little bit of injury chaos at running back. Christian McCaffery was ruled out of their Week 1 game against the New York Jets at the last minute. Jordan Mason went from total anonymity to a 100-yard rusher in a matter of hours. When he got hurt on Sunday, Isaac Guerendo racked up 80 yards. Kyle Shanahan praised the two backs who have helped the offense stay afloat in McCaffery's absence.

“I thought they both had a good game. [Mason] going down early and Isaac coming in, stepping it up. I thought [RB] Patrick [Taylor Jr.] also did a real good job coming in for us too. It was a real good game for the running backs,” Shanahan said in his Monday press conference.

Shanahan was also asked about Guerendo's role in the offense moving forward, specifically in the passing game. “Yeah, I think very similar to [Mason], also, in that. No one is Christian in terms of the passing game, but neither one of them are guys that can’t run routes and can’t beat linebackers, and they both have good hands. It’s something that he is decent at now and something that he should get better at as he continues to work.”

The 49ers hope to get Christian McCaffery back after the bye

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The bye week is coming at the perfect time for the 49ers. They go in with a win, a .500 record, and a bevy of injuries. Deebo Samuel is dealing with multiple ailments, including the after-effects of pneumonia, and Mason is dealing with a shoulder issue. Shanahan did say that he expects to get Jauan Jennings back from a hip injury after the bye.

As for McCaffery, he is trending in the right direction. Shanahan said they have a practice plan for him this week and will re-assess when they get back from the bye. “If everything continues going right, if he has a good week this week,” they will open his practice window. He has yet to play a snap this season.

When the 49ers return from the bye, they face a beat-up Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. They must take advantage of this time off to get healthy, as the NFC West is still up for grabs. All four teams in the division have four losses already and the Seahawks and Rams play each other this week. Despite San Francisco's poor start, they can still control the division down the stretch.