Christian McCaffrey on injured list; 49ers leave vacancy on 53-man roster – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

MINNEAPOLIS — The 49ers made no roster moves Saturday to fill their Christian McCaffrey’s place on the 53-man roster.

San Francisco will play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday with three active running backs, led by starter Jordan Mason.

The 49ers placed McCaffrey on the reserve list with a strained calf and Achilles tendon, making him ineligible for the next four games. San Francisco now has a vacant spot on the 53-man roster.

The 49ers once again elevated veteran safety Tracy Walker III from the practice squad to provide depth with Talanoa Hufanga not expected to play.

Hofanga is listed as doubtful for the match as he continues his recovery after undergoing season-ending surgery on a torn right anterior cruciate ligament in November.

George Odom is expected to remain the starting safety alongside Jay’Air Brown until Hufanga is given the green light to return to action.

The 49ers will once again rely heavily on Mason as their primary offensive lineman. Mason had a career-high 147 yards and a score on 28 rushing attempts in the 49ers’ 32-19 Week 1 win over the New York Jets.

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel was also able to carry the ball out of the backfield or on quick passes. He went for 23 yards and a score on eight offensive attempts against the New York Jets.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said he wouldn’t hesitate to use rookie Isaac Gorindo, a fourth-round pick out of Louisville. He played three snaps in Week 1 but didn’t carry the ball.

Gerindo missed much of training camp with a hamstring injury, but looked impressive in the 49ers’ preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders.

“It seemed like the game wasn’t that big of a deal to him even at that point, and it’s been that way ever since,” Shanahan said Friday.

Patrick Taylor, who played his first three seasons with the Green Bay Packers, will take over as the team’s third-string offensive lineman.

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