NFC Notes: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks

49ers

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey has yielded underwhelming results for his standards since returning from an Achilles injury three weeks ago. San Francisco HC Kyle Shanahan believes it’s unjust to expect McCaffrey to return to top form right away.

“The speculation on Christian, I think, is a little bit unfair to him,” Shanahan said, via Grant Gordon of NFL.com. “Christian’s playing very well, he is playing his ass off. But to think a guy who misses an entire offseason is just going to be the exact same the day he gets back would be unfair to any player in the world, I feel like.

“Guys who miss offseasons and miss training camp, usually it takes them a little bit of time at the beginning of the year to get back into how they were the year before, let alone missing half the season also on top of that. So, I think Christian’s doing a hell of a job. But to just think him coming back in Week 8 with not being able to do anything for the last nine months or whatever it is, and to think he’s just going to be in MVP form is a very unrealistic expectation.”

Cardinals

• Cardinals RB James Conner‘s contract this season includes a $4.235 million base ($1.5 million guaranteed), a $1.5 million roster bonus, a $15,000 per-game bonus, and a cap number of $8.93 million. (Howard Balzer)

Seahawks

• Seahawks P Michael Dickson had back spasms, leading HC Mike Macdonald to have the team go for a first down on 4th and 6 on what eventually became a touchdown drive.(Curtis Crabtree)
• Macdonald on the play of DL Leonard Williams: “I don’t know how this works, but if we can nominate Leonard Williams for player of the week, he’s just playing at an all-time elite level. I mean, I would just have a hard time thinking that anybody’s playing better than him right now.” (Crabtree)
• Seahawks CB Coby Bryant was fined $6,594 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct (obscene gestures) in Week 12.