Technically, Christian McCaffrey could return as early as Sunday against Tampa Bay.

The 49ers opened McCaffrey’s practice window Monday and could activate him to the 53-man roster this Saturday assuming he has no practice setbacks this week. McCaffrey missed the first nine weeks of the season with bilateral Achilles tendinitis and an injury that could lead to a full-blown Achilles tear if not managed carefully. The 49ers might want to slow down McCaffrey’s return.

But the 49ers are 4-4 and currently in third place in the NFC West. Their best chance to make the playoffs is to win the division and they’ve already lost to the Cardinals and Rams, both of whom have easier schedules than the 49ers the rest of the way. If they lost to the Buccaneers this weekend, their playoff chances would decrease significantly. So I guess the 49ers would like McCaffrey to play if he’s able to.

But Mccaffrey couldn’t train for more than a week without re-injuring his Achilles tendon. He practiced for a week during training camp, felt sore, and the 49ers shut him down for a month. Then he practiced for a week before the season opener against the Jets, felt sore again, and the 49ers shut him down for the next two months. So he still has a lot to prove.

If McCaffrey does manage to play against the Buccaneers, the 49ers would be wise to use him wisely and not wear him out like they did last season.