Week 3 vs. New Orleans Saints
Christian McCaffrey was one of the few bright spots of the Carolina offense in a forgettable loss to the Giants last week. He didn’t find the end zone, but he did rush for 102 yards on 15 carries, adding 26 more yards on four receptions. McCaffrey is off to a nice start to the season, despite the team’s offensive struggles.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Saints defense that held Leonard Fournette to just 2.7 yards per carry last week and has been stout against the run for a while now – fourth in rushing yards allowed per game in 2021. Still, McCaffrey is the main cog of the Panthers’ offense and he should always be active, regardless of matchup.
Week 2 at New York Giants
Christian McCaffrey averages a silly 0.8 touchdowns per game for his career, and he scored another one last week against the Browns. He was otherwise held to 33 yards on 10 carries, but he added another 24 yards on four receptions. A total of 14 touches is probably the sweet spot for McCaffrey, and his efficiency on those touches should improve in easier matchups.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Giants defense that held Derrick Henry to a modest 82 yards on 21 carries, but gave up 61 yards and two touchdowns to passing-down back Dontrell Hilliard. Those numbers seem well within reach for the top-three consensus fantasy pick. Start McCaffrey every week.
Week 1 vs. Cleveland Browns
Christian McCaffrey is awesome. We all know that. He led the league in touchdowns and all-purpose yards in 2019 and has averaged 6.2 receptions per game over his five-year career. The fear with McCaffrey is all centered on him being limited to just 10 games due to injury over the past two years. McCaffrey has been productive when he’s played, however, putting up eight touchdowns in those 10 games. Entering the season healthy, the sky is the limit for his upside.
McCaffrey will start the season against a Browns defense that ranked 17th in aFPA to opposing running backs last year. Expect a heavy dose of work for him and elite fantasy numbers once again. Few backs have the ability to impact the game like McCaffrey, and the Panthers will lean on him to keep their offense humming. We have him as the No. 2 running back in our rankings this week and he should be started in all leagues.
2022 Fantasy Upside
Christian McCaffrey is still phenomenal. Despite missing 10 games last year, he was still eighth among running backs in half-PPR points per game and has maintained his nose for the end zone. He’s scored a ridiculous 47 touchdowns in 58 career games and his work as a pass-catcher gives him a tremendous advantage over every other player at his position when he’s on the field. McCaffrey averages 6.2 receptions per game since entering the league in 2017 and had back-to-back 100-plus catch seasons before injuries limited him in 2020 and 2021.
2022 Fantasy Downside
There’s really only one downside with McCaffrey. He’s played in only 10 games combined over the past two seasons since touching the ball 403 times in 2019. If McCaffrey can stay healthy, he’ll be dynamite once again. If not, fantasy managers will be staring down the gun barrel of another wasted season with their top pick sitting in an IR slot.
2022 Bottom Line
It’s going to cost you if you want to gamble on McCaffrey coming back strong this season. He’s going in the top four picks in all draft formats right now, and in some cases as high as number one. We have him ranked highly and the upside is through the roof, but fantasy managers taking the plunge will need to do so knowing the risk of him suffering through a third consecutive injury-plagued season. Buyer beware.
Week 12 at Miami Dolphins
Things are so much better when Christian McCaffrey is healthy. The world seems brighter, Cam Newton looks younger and fantasy managers don’t have to worry about whether Chuba Hubbard or Ameer Abdullah are worth consideration. McCaffrey found the end zone last week and totals 119 yards on 10 carries and seven receptions. He led the team in receiving yards, catches and targets and the offense continues to run through him when he’s on the field.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Dolphins defense that ranks 15th in aFPA to opposing running backs. Matchups don’t really matter much with McCaffrey though, as his usage and activity in the passing game make him a must-start every week. We have him ranked as an elite option, as usual.
Week 11 vs. Washington Football Team
Christian McCaffrey didn’t find the end zone last week against the Cardinals – he came up just short – but he caught 10 passes!! McCaffrey ended up with 95 yards on 13 carries to go with his 66 receiving yards. The Panthers’ offense has struggled and it may be harder for him to find the end zone with Cam Newton likely taking over as the starting quarterback. Still, McCaffrey has over 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his two games back and it’s only a matter of time before he finds the end zone again.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Washington defense that ranks 19th in aFPA to opposing running backs. McCaffrey’s usage and ability to impact the passing game makes him a must-start every week.
Week 10 at Arizona Cardinals
Christian McCaffrey returned to action last week against the Patriots, and despite a horrible offensive performance for the Panthers, he still managed to gain 106 yards on 14 carries and four receptions. McCaffrey should continue to have a high floor due to his activity in the passing game, as he was targeted five times on the day and led the team in receiving yards.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Cardinals defense that ranks sixth in aFPA to opposing running backs. Regardless of matchup, however, McCaffrey is too good and used too much not to have him active. Start him, and cross your fingers he stays healthy for a stretch this time.
Week 9 vs. New England Patriots
Christian McCaffrey has been out since Week 3, but he’s supposedly flirting with being active heading into Week 9. He’s a must-start any time he’s active, but be sure you have a backup option available to you if you’re going to risk having him in your lineup. Monitor the health situation very carefully, but if he’s active, you have to start him. He showed last year that he could be productive coming off injuries, even if it turned into getting injured again.
Week 6 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Christian McCaffrey almost returned this past week against the Eagles, but he wound up being inactive for the second straight week. He’s set to return this week, but keep an eye on the injury report as it gets close to game time, and have a backup plan in place.
For his return, McCaffrey gets a Vikings defense that ranks 12th in aFPA to opposing running backs. McCaffrey was dynamite in his first two games before getting hurt in Week 3 this year, so fantasy managers should definitely start him so long as he’s active. Despite missing nearly three games, he still has 364 yards and a touchdown this season to go along with 16 receptions.
Week 3 at Houston Texans
Christian McCaffrey had a nice game last week against the Saints, rushing for 72 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, while adding 65 yards on five receptions. McCaffrey finding the end zone is no surprise, as he has a ridiculous 46 touchdowns in 53 career games. His ability to produce running the ball and catching the ball, while also finding the end zone is what made him the number one pick in most fantasy leagues the last two years.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Texans team that gave up almost 100 yards and a touchdown to Nick Chubb last week, although they shut down the Jaguars running game in Week 1 – which probably says more about the Jaguars than the Texans. Regardless, McCaffrey is a must-start every week, regardless of matchup and fantasy managers should never consider sitting him as long as he’s healthy.
