What happened: San Francisco 49Ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Christian McCaffrey is dealing with actual tightness, addressing speculation about the running back's absence from joint practice. Shanahan stated that if the team were in a game week, McCaffrey would have played today. The comments indicate the staff is taking a highly cautious approach during the preseason.

Why it matters: The decision to hold him out reflects his critical importance to the offense and the lack of stakes in August. San Francisco recently added former Raiders running back Zamir White to a backfield that saw four players miss Monday's session. Preserving the veteran's health remains the overriding priority ahead of the regular season.

What to watch: McCaffrey's practice participation will likely remain limited in the coming days. The medical staff will monitor his tightness as training camp continues.