McCaffrey Rests Melbourne Practice vs Rams

Christian McCaffrey was on the field in Melbourne and still sat out the media-open drills as the 49ers opened Week 1 prep at AAMI Park. Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area and Matt Barrows of The Athletic both flagged the rest day Monday. Barrows even floated a season-long practice pitch count. Thursday's Rams opener Down Under is suddenly the only clock that matters.

McCaffrey is the most important skill piece San Francisco has. Sitting him for the early portion of the first Australia session is how you treat a back with that mileage when the real game is three days away. Side work was the plan. Team periods come later, and reporters have to leave before those start. Matt Lively's feed even showed McCaffrey working off to the side while the open window rolled.

Bosa cautious, Kittle on the grass

Nick Bosa was the other big name missing from the media window. He was later seen in uniform without pads, which tracks with the 49ers playing it safe on knee tendinitis after last season's ACL. After his first practice back last week, Bosa said he felt confident. Monday was about not ripping the Band-Aid off too early again. Niners Nation framed it the same way: mixed news, stars still pointing toward Thursday, questions parked on the pass rush.

George Kittle, meanwhile, was practicing. That is the cleanest Achilles update San Francisco has posted this week, and it lines up with the Week 1 track the club has been selling. For a fuller Bosa-Kittle Week 1 picture from the prior day, see our earlier Bosa and Kittle note.

Evans and the returners

Mike Evans got work in after the adductor scare. Renardo Green (hamstring), Jacob Cowing (groin), Romello Height, and Gracen Halton (ankles) were among the previously dinged players Barrows listed as back, with Vederian Lowe and Luke Gifford also noted. That is the depth noise you want when you are flying across the Pacific for a Thursday night opener.

The Rams side already has its own availability story, including Sean McVay expecting Puka Nacua to play. San Francisco's Monday message is quieter and more specific: McCaffrey rests the early work, Kittle is going, and Bosa is being managed. Tuesday and Wednesday will decide who actually lines up when Australia gets its first NFL kickoff of the year.