Christian McCaffrey

Fantasy Upside

Christian McCaffrey is so good, I’m out of superlatives to describe him. He became just the third player in NFL history to record over 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in one season last year, and 1,387 rushing yards were third in the league behind Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb. McCaffrey also tied with Aaron Jones for the most touchdowns last season at 19, and he was second behind only Michael Thomas with 116 receptions. He’s a monster, and this is the second consecutive year he’s put up huge numbers, particularly in the scoring department.

Fantasy Downside

There’s really no downside to McCaffrey. I suppose the number of touches he’s had over the past two seasons – 729, including 223 receptions – could cause him to wear down. I suppose his 19 touchdowns from last season could be deemed unsustainable, as it was a jump from 13 the previous year. I suppose you could look at the new coaching staff and wonder if Matt Rhule’s offense will feature him as heavily.

2020 Bottom Line

Ultimately, the Panthers just gave McCaffrey a big contract extension and there’s little doubt he’ll remain the focal point of the offense. He is one of the best receiving options in football – not just among running backs – and has shown he can carry the load on the ground. Fantasy owners should run to the podium to select the multi-talented McCaffrey in all league formats.