In the absence of Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason has emerged as a remarkable force in the NFL, establishing himself as one of the league’s premier running backs.
The San Francisco 49ers faced a crucial question: could they replicate Mason’s impressive performance with their third-string running back? This uncertainty lingered for a time during Thursday night’s matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Mason began the game with promise, but his momentum faltered when he was tackled, immediately clutching his shoulder. He remained on the field for an extended period as athletic trainers attended to him before ultimately heading to the locker room. The 49ers later labeled him as questionable to return due to a shoulder injury.
Fortunately for the team, Mason reappeared for the second half, although he quickly retreated to the sidelines after just one carry, visibly attempting to loosen his injured arm. When Mason exited, Isaac Guerendo took the field, followed by Patrick Taylor Jr., who stepped in during the 49ers’ initial drive of the second half when Guerendo required a breather. Mason did not return for the remainder of that drive and remained sidelined for the entirety of the third quarter.
Mason’s injury raised concerns for the 49ers, especially with McCaffrey already sidelined. Few teams boast a dependable third running back, but San Francisco’s scheme tends to elevate the performance of all its players. Rookie Guerendo, currently second on the depth chart, is an athletic fourth-round selection, yet he had recorded merely 41 career rushing yards prior to Thursday’s game. Taylor, positioned behind Guerendo, had not seen any carries this season until now. Deebo Samuel Sr. also takes occasional snaps as a tailback, though the 49ers would prefer to avoid relying on him full-time in that role.
While the absence of McCaffrey was felt in several aspects, Jordan Mason had managed to fill much of that void. After five weeks, he ranked second in the NFL in rushing yards, trailing only Derrick Henry, with an impressive total of 536 yards—over 100 yards more than any other back aside from Henry.
McCaffrey has yet to play this season due to a calf and Achilles injury but is expected to return at some point. The 49ers are hopeful that Mason’s injury is not severe, allowing him to contribute until McCaffrey makes his anticipated comeback.
