San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has yet to play this season and is reportedly suffering from bilateral Achilles tendonitis, meaning he has it in both legs. On Thursday, Albert Breer gave an update on McCaffrey’s recovery.

“Going back to August, when he was starting to feel like himself again, they brought him in for the opener against the Jets,” Breer said. “Eventually the Achilles flared up on him, so after the opener they ended up shutting him down.

“He started feeling like himself again last week, so they started boosting him over the last few days. The good news is that there have been no flare-ups. There have been no setbacks. He feels good. So the Niners are optimistic about where he is, but this is a scary deal for him. He is determined to play this year. I would say the next two to three weeks are crucial.”

McCaffrey is said to have gone to Germany earlier this year to receive treatment for his condition. The three-time Pro Bowler can’t return soon enough for the 49ers. Last season, McCaffrey had a career-high 1,459 rushing yards and a league-high 14 touchdowns.

The ground game wasn’t the only area where McCaffrey found success. He also hauled in 67 catches for 564 yards and seven scores. In light of McCaffrey’s current predicament and injury-plagued past, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan emphasized the importance of protecting his star RB when he returns.

“We need to protect Christian from himself,” Shanahan said per The Athletics. “He doesn’t like to ever come out, no matter the situation, and I think we can protect him better with that. When you’re such a threat in the passing game, it’s a little different.

“But if he’s just taking the wear and tear every game with 20 carries and everything, and he’s certainly good enough to do that and he’s proven that he can stay healthy, then you’d want to take some of that away from him and give him something want to give.” it to other boys too.”

Although Christian McCaffrey’s condition is improving, he will not be available for the 49ers on Thursday night. The 49ers will take on the Seattle Seahawks at 8:15 PM ET. The game will be broadcast live on Prime Video.