As the 49ers prepare for Sunday’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans, McCaffrey’s availability has become a storyline. Earlier in the week, he battled an illness that limited his practice time, though he was able to log a full session on Friday.

The San Francisco 49ers have placed receiver Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list, making him ineligible to return from a knee injury this season.

We may have seen the last of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in a San Francisco 49ers uniform. At least, that's what the team's decision on his injury status indicates. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter,

The San Francisco 49ers on Saturday placed Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list, ending his 2025 season and likely severing the team’s ties with the talented wide receiver for the future.

Former Pro Bowler Kurt Warner believes the San Francisco 49ers would be smart to pursue a Brock Purdy-Joe Burrow trade with the Bengals.

Special teams delivering: Skyy Moore has come on to be the 49ers' best punt returner since John Taylor. Eddy Pineiro is healthy and locked in. The Niners are poor in field position on the year, ranking 31st, but in the closing stretch and the playoffs, special teams should be an asset. For once.

So if the Niners let him play out his contract, shake his hand, and watch him sign a solid $20-to-$30 (maybe $40) million-dollar deal elsewhere in free agency come the end of the 2026 season, the league office will essentially FedEx a third-round pick (fourth at worst) to Santa Clara. That’s money in the bank. That’s a free lottery ticket.

The San Francisco 49ers could face a major setback when the 2025 NFL season ends, as Robert Saleh might be on a team's radar for head coach.