Christian McCaffrey is finally back for the San Francisco 49ers.

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday he expects the 2023 AP Offensive Player of the Year to make his season debut Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

McCaffrey’s practice window opened earlier this week, giving him 21 days to make his debut or he would have finished the season. The running back was always expected to have a chance to play this week, and the 49ers love having him back.

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Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

To say it took a while would be an understatement. McCaffrey’s injury status has been a roller coaster ride, starting with Shanahan saying that at the start of training camp his star running back would miss a few weeks with a calf injury.

But McCaffrey was surprisingly inactive in the team’s season opener against the New York Jets. Jordan Mason started in place of McCaffrey.

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Then the 49ers announced that McCaffrey would be placed on injured reserve, forcing him to miss at least four games, but he has missed more since.

It got to the point that McCaffrey traveled to Germany to receive expert treatment for his Achilles injury. And then Shanahan revealed that McCaffrey was dealing with injuries to both ankles.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey watches from the sideline in the second quarter against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium. (David Gonzales/Imagn Images)

McCaffrey played for the 2023 NFC champion 49ers, leading the league with 1,459 rushing yards and scoring 21 times – 14 on the ground, seven through the air – anchoring the team’s offense.

Having McCaffrey in the backfield opened up a lot of possibilities for Shanahan and gave quarterback Brock Purdy, who continues to prove he is a franchise quarterback, another weapon.

McCaffrey returns in a strange situation compared to past seasons. The 49ers are tied with the Los Angeles Rams at 4-4 in the NFC West, led by the Arizona Cardinals at 5-4.

Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a 5-yard touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the second quarter at State Farm Stadium on December 17, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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The division race is tight and the 49ers look ordinary without McCaffrey.

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