NFL Network’s Ian Rapport reported on the schedule for San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey and some of the pain he is dealing with:

“From what I understand, Christian McCaffrey is dealing with painful Achilles tendinitis. I describe it as frustrating and difficult. Difficult to run and certainly difficult to get rid of. He’s not at any greater risk of tearing his Achilles tendon, but from what I understand he’s probably going to be out six weeks or possibly longer. That means (Jordan) Mason, the 49ers’ preseason MVP, is going to get a lot of touches.”

McCaffrey was placed on the injured list on Saturday and will miss at least the next four games. That opens the door for Mason, who passed his first test last Monday night after rushing for 145 yards, breaking more tackles in a game than in either of the previous two seasons and having more yards after contact than the 49ers allowed the New York Jets on the ground.

Mason faces a tough test today against defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who will be scrutinizing Mason in terms of pass defense. Mason could play a bigger role this week as a receiver or in pass attempts in general, especially if Flores blitzes Brock Purdy more than 60 percent of the time like he did last year.

As for McCaffrey, the 49ers have the Vikings on the schedule today, then the Rams, Patriots, Cardinals, Seahawks and Chiefs. Those are the next six games, followed by a prime-time home game against the Dallas Cowboys that could play a big role in NFC playoff seeding.

More importantly, the bye week comes after the Dallas game, giving McCaffrey’s body time to recover after the long layoff. That could be the date the team has chosen for McCaffrey’s return.