The 49ers looked to a surprise source at a time of desperate need.
San Francisco picked up running back Israel Abanikanda off waivers from the Jets after a slew of injuries in their backfield.
In the team’s announcement of the transaction, the 49ers said they placed Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve again with a PCL sprain suffered in Sunday night’s loss to the Bills.
McCaffrey is expected to miss around six weeks, so the injury will likely end his regular season.
To compound matters, McCaffrey’s backup, Jordan Mason, suffered a high ankle sprain, and coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Mason was expected to get placed on the IR as well, meaning he’ll have to miss at least four games.
The dual injuries — plus Elijah Mitchell being on IR (hamstring) since August — left just Isaac Guerendo as the only healthy running back on the 49ers’ active roster.
Abanikanda was a fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh in 2023, getting in six regular season games last season with the Jets.
The Brooklyn native rushed for 70 yards on 22 attempts along with seven receptions for 43 yards.
Abanikanda, 22, was not active for any of the Jets’ 12 games this year and was waived by the team on Monday.
The 49ers came into this season with championship aspirations after just falling short to the Chiefs in a thrilling Super Bowl 2024.
But as injuries at key positions across the field have piled up, the 49ers now sit at 5-7, with NFL.com giving them just an eight percent chance to make the postseason.
San Francisco hosts the Bears on Sunday as it hopes to keep their slim hopes alive in the NFC.
