Christian McCaffrey's absence from the San Francisco 49ers' training camp has raised some eyebrows. McCaffrey hasn't practiced since Aug. 8 due to "tightness," prompting speculation that his injury situation could be related to a contract dispute. However, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that Christian McCaffrey's injury situation is real and unrelated to his desire for a new deal with the 49ers. "This is not fake," Rapoport said. "Actual tightness, not fake tightness, not a hold-in, actual tightness. It does not seem to me like anything really to worry about. I know we've heard that before with Christian McCaffrey, but for real, this does not seem like anything to worry about. "The timing of this, coming right after Jahmyr Gibbs, right after Bijan Robinson got paid, my understanding —coincidence. Christian McCaffrey should be fine."
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: #49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is actually dealing with tightness. pic.twitter.com/v1wtsEhyP4 — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 17, 2026 Rumor mill churned over possible Christian McCaffrey contract dispute As Rapoport pointed out, the timing of McCaffrey's injury raised some eyebrows, given it came in the wake of players like Gibbs and Robinson receiving new contracts. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported earlier this week that some in the league suspected McCaffrey is "holding in" in search of a new deal. "There's speculation in league circles that McCaffrey has tapped the brakes on his practice time in an effort to get an adjustment to his contract, which pays out a non-guaranteed $12.5 million in 2026," Florio wrote Monday. McCaffrey is under contract through the 2027 season, and his $12.5 million non-guaranteed salary now sits $10 million behind the $22.5 million APY set by Robinson and Gibbs' deals. The 30-year-old led the NFL in touches in 2025 and finished with more than 2,000 scrimmage yards. While McCaffrey may be searching for a new deal in San Francisco, it seems that isn't what's keeping him from practicing with the team. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Is Christian McCaffrey injured or in contract dispute? Insider has answer