Eric Williams
NFL reporter
Sick out for the reason that begin of the common season with Achilles tendonitis, reigning Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey lastly returned to apply with the San Francisco 49ers this week.
The group has activated McCaffrey’s three-week coaching window, with the hope that he’ll have the ability to take the sector Sunday on the highway towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Along with the 49ers, a number of different groups are attempting to get again first-line gamers to allow them to make a postseason push. Puka Nacua lately returned for the Rams. Other massive names returning within the second half embrace Micah Parsons, Nico Collins and Isiah Pacheco.
Let’s look at what the return of these gamers might imply for his or her respective groups as they chase postseason hopes.
Christian McCaffreyRB, 49ers
Shanahan is protecting his fingers crossed that McCaffrey can get by apply wholesome and return to the sector this weekend. But at any time when he returns, he’ll most certainly be introduced again to the total workload he had because the league’s finest operating again final yr.
“We’re going to construct it slowly,” coach Kyle Shanahan advised reporters. “Things are going properly. It will likely be good to have him again, hopefully.”
After McCaffrey joined San Francisco in a blockbuster midseason commerce in October 2022, he missed only one sport out of 33, together with the postseason, and that sport was a meaningless contest on the finish of the 2023 season. of that, McCaffrey has handled quite a lot of accidents, lacking a complete of 23 video games within the 2020 and 2021 seasons for the Carolina Panthers.
The 49ers signed the 28-year-old McCaffrey to a two-year, $38 million contract extension this offseason, making him the highest-paid operating again within the league. McCaffrey had probably the most scrimmage yards within the league from the time he arrived in San Francisco till the top of the 2023 season.
Tom Brady previews the 49ers vs. Buccaneers sport
Jordan Mason did an admirable job filling in for McCaffrey. He is No. 4 within the NFL in dashing with 685 yards. However, Mason hasn’t been a weapon as a move catcher off the sector like McCaffrey is. Mason has simply 10 receptions for 85 yards.
The 49ers actually miss McCaffrey within the purple zone, as San Francisco is No. 28 in purple zone offense this season. In 2023, the 49ers have been No. 1 and McCaffrey led the league in complete purple zone touchdowns with 18.
One final stat: Brock Purdy led the NFL with a 113.0 passer score underneath McCaffrey final season. The QB passer score this season with out McCaffrey is 93.7. McCaffrey’s return ought to add one other dimension to an already good assault, in addition to cut back the stress on Purdy to hold the load.
Puka NacuaWR, Rams
The second-year professional suffered a sprained posterior cruciate ligament throughout coaching camp and aggravated the damage within the Week 1 sport towards the Lions.
After lacking six video games, Nacua returned to the lineup in Week 8 towards the Vikings, ending with 106 receiving yards in a 30–20 victory. Last Sunday, Nacua was ejected late within the first half for punching Seahawks security Coby Bryant in a combat after a Tariq Woolen interception.
“He will be taught from this,” Rams coach Sean McVay mentioned of the incident. “He’s precisely the correct of particular person and this can be a studying alternative. We all make errors.”
The Rams nonetheless managed to defeat Seattle in extra time with Nacua watching from the locker room. After a rocky begin, the Rams have received three straight and, at 4-4, seem like hitting their stride heading into the second half of the season.
Los Angeles made an analogous run final yr, successful seven of its remaining eight video games to achieve the playoffs. Nacua performed an enormous function in that, setting league information for rookie receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486). Having him again within the lineup will solely make Matthew Stafford and LA’s offense extra harmful.
Nico CollinsWR, Texans
CJ Stroud & Co. are struggling with out the group’s No. 1 receiver, together with Stefon Diggs, who’s out for the season with a torn proper anterior cruciate ligament. Losers in two of their final three video games, the Texans have averaged simply 19 factors per sport in that span.
Last month, Houston positioned Collins on IR with a hamstring damage. At the time, he led the league with 567 receiving yards. He has missed 4 video games and can have the ability to return for Sunday’s sport towards the Lions. Collins reportedly had no points and regained his pace, however didn’t apply Wednesday.
At 6-3 and up two video games within the AFC North, the Texans can afford to take a cautious method with Collins. Houston coach DeMeco Ryans might give the receiver an additional week and have him return for a Monday evening highway sport towards Dallas in Week 11.
Micah ParsonsPOUNDS, Cowboys
Speaking of the Cowboys, they look like in full free fall after lacking three straight video games and quarterback Dak Prescott positioned on the injured record with a hamstring damage.
At 3-5, Dallas is on the sidelines with regards to the postseason. But Parsons’ return this week might function a spark for a struggling protection.
Parsons has been out since Week 4 with a sprained ankle, the primary time he has missed video games attributable to damage in his four-year NFL profession. The Cowboys misplaced three of 4 video games with Parsons out, giving up a mean of 31 factors per sport and permitting opposing quarterbacks to have a league-high passer score of 126.1.
No, Parsons cannot substitute the league’s highest-paid participant like Prescott, however his return ought to enhance a protection struggling to maintain groups out of the top zone and assist get the Cowboys again on the successful aspect. Parsons participated on a restricted foundation in free apply on Wednesday.
Isia PachecoRB, Chiefs
Kansas City is 8-0 and in place to be the No. 1 seed within the AFC. The Chiefs added one other veteran playmaker, DeAndre Hopkins, and the return of Kareem Hunt added physicality to the group’s operating sport.
And Kansas City has probably the most worthwhile participant within the league in Patrick Mahomes. Do the Chiefs really want extra to achieve the Super Bowl for the third straight yr?
To be sincere, most likely not. The Chiefs are surgical on offense and have one of many stingiest defenses within the league, led by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. But Kansas City hasn’t precisely blown out groups. The Chiefs’ common margin of victory this season is seven factors.
The return of an explosive operating again like Pacheco, who suffered a damaged leg in Week 2 and is aiming for a return later this month, might add a house run component to the operating sport. The Chiefs have had 14 runs of 10+ yards this season. Pacheco had a league-leading 19 runs of 10-plus yards throughout final yr’s common season and a league-leading eight throughout the postseason.
He may very well be the lacking explosive component in Kansas City’s operating sport.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, masking the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN e Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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