Week 5 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Christian McCaffrey had another great game against the Texans last week. He was a one-man offense essentially, touching the ball 37 times and scoring the Panthers’ lone touchdown on his way to 179 yards from scrimmage. McCaffrey leads the league in rushing yards and leads all running backs in receptions. He’s the most important part of the Carolina offense and should remain an elite fantasy option every week.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Jacksonville defense that had been excellent against the run this season. They’ve given up the sixth-least aFPA to the running back position in PPR leagues. However, McCaffrey’s talent and usage make him a must-start every week regardless of matchup.
Week 4 at Houston Texans
After a disappointing game against the Buccaneers in Week 2, Christian McCaffrey destroyed the Cardinals last week with 188 yards from scrimmage, including a 76-yard touchdown run. McCaffrey is second in the league in rushing attempts, but is averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He’s been as advertised so far this season and should continue to thrive as the primary cog in the Panthers’ offense.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Texans defense that ranks seventh in aFPA against the running back position so far this season, but he’s still a must-start in all league formats. The number of touches he gets – 24.7 per game so far this year – gives him a high floor and his upside is as big as anyone in the league. He’s an elite option every week, and fantasy owners shouldn’t even consider sitting him.
Week 3 at Arizona Cardinals
After a dominant performance in Week 1, Christian McCaffrey was held to just 37 yards on the ground and 16 receiving in a loss against the Buccaneers last week. The Tampa Bay defense keyed in on the versatile playmaker, and despite 16 carries, he found very little daylight to run to. McCaffrey still got a full workload though and was targeted six times in the passing game, so there’s no reason to panic. He’ll continue to be elite week-to-week, and his role in the offense gives him a generally high floor.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Cardinals team that has allowed 25 points per game over the first two weeks, but held Kerryon Johnson and Mark Ingram both under 50 yards on the ground. Regardless, McCaffrey should be active in all leagues, and while Cam Newton’s health is concerning for the Carolina offense in general, the fact that the team leans so heavily on their star running back makes him a must-start every week.
Week 2 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rumors of Christian McCaffrey’s usage decreasing seem to have been greatly exaggerated. McCaffrey was the lone bright spot of the Panthers offense against the Rams in Week 1, with 19 carries, 128 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to go with 10 catches and 81 yards receiving. The only negative thing about McCaffrey was fullback Alex Armah vulturing what could’ve been a third touchdown. Expect the Panthers to continue to feed their versatile star all season.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Buccaneers defense that held the 49ers’ running backs to a combined 3.33 yards per carry in Week 1. However, only the Browns and the Cardinals allowed more rushing touchdowns to opposing teams last season, so it’s possible they were simply successful against a bad offense last week. Even if Tampa’s defense is improved this year, McCaffrey is a must-start every game and should be active as an elite RB1 in all formats.
Week 1 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Christian McCaffrey was incredible last year. He carried the ball 219 times for 1,098 yards and seven touchdowns, then added 867 yards and six touchdowns receiving. He led all running backs with 107 receptions and was the primary cog in the Carolina offense all season. This year, he’s supposedly bulked up and should be in line for another full season of work, making him an elite fantasy option in all league formats, with additional value in PPR formats.
This week, McCaffrey gets a great matchup to start the season. Despite winning the NFC, the Rams were disappointing on defense last year, allowing 122.3 rushing yards per game and ranking in the bottom half of the league in both total points and yards allowed. Expect a healthy dose of McCaffrey and a nice game to get this fantasy season started off on the right track. He’s a must-start regardless of matchup and he should excel this week.
Fantasy Upside
Christian McCaffrey is coming off a fantastic season. For a player viewed largely as a complementary back coming out of college, he was a workhorse for the Panthers in 2018. He was on the field for 91% of the team’s offensive snaps, was sixth in the NFL in rushing yards and eighth in receptions. He led all running backs with 107 catches and finished the season with 1,965 total yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns – not to mention a 50-yard touchdown pass to Chris Manhertz against the Saints in Week 15. McCaffrey is dynamite with the ball in his hands and is the key to the Panthers’ offense.
Fantasy Downside
It’s hard to imagine McCaffrey repeating the successes of last year. He was simply too good not to expect some sort of natural regression. He also touched the ball 326 times last season, a heavy workload for a guy weighing just a hair over 200 pounds. That kind of work could lead to some durability issues, although he’s been healthy through two seasons thus far and is only 23 years old. It’s possible the Panthers reduce his carries in the run game this year in order to protect him so he can continue to be an active part of the passing game.
2019 Bottom Line
There’s really not a lot of downside to McCaffrey, especially in PPR formats. Even if he reduces his rushing workload, he’s caught 187 passes over the past two seasons and his nose for the end zone should give him a tremendously high floor in all league formats. Entering his second year in the same offense, McCaffrey should have no trouble putting up reliable RB1 numbers each and every week. He’s a top pick on our board and is worth every bit of his 1.03 ADP.
Week 17 at New Orleans Saints
Christian McCaffrey is fourth in the league in rushing yards and is tied for fifth in the league in receptions. He has 13 touchdowns on the season and is the primary weapon in the Panthers’ offense. Last week, he caught 12 passes and had a total of 178 yards from scrimmage. McCaffrey is one of the most dynamic players in football and has been phenomenal in all fantasy league formats, especially PPR leagues.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Saints team that isn’t really playing for anything. Another full workload should be in store for him, making him a must-start every week. He should be active in all league formats as an elite RB1 option.
Week 16 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Christian McCaffrey didn’t get a touchdown rushing or receiving last week against the Saints, but he did throw a 50-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Chris Manhertz. McCaffrey ended up with 15 carries, eight receptions, and one pass for a total of 170 yards. Even though the Panthers struggled offensively, McCaffrey continued to shine.
This week, McCaffrey is once again a must-start against a vulnerable Falcons defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, including 757 yards and six touchdowns receiving. With Cam Newton out the rest of the season, McCaffrey may take a small hit, but he’s still a must-start in all leagues. The offense should lean on him even more now.
Week 15 vs. New Orleans Saints
Christian McCaffrey has been amazing over the second half of the season. He’s scored 12 of his 13 touchdowns over the past seven games, including two last week against the Browns. McCaffrey is also on pace for 106 catches and 2,002 yards from scrimmage, making him one of the most valuable fantasy players in the league this season.
This week, McCaffrey faces a Saints defense that has actually been pretty stout against the run. Only the Bears, Titans, and Ravens have allowed fewer fantasy points per game to opposing running backs than the Saints this year. Still, in a game that could be a shootout, McCaffrey should get a full workload and is a must-start every week.
Week 14 at Cleveland Browns
Christian McCaffrey had another great game against the Buccaneers last week, running the ball 10 times for 106 yards and catching nine passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. McCaffrey has now scored at least one touchdown in five of his last six games and he leads all running backs with 80 receptions this season.
This week, McCaffrey should continue to be the primary focal point of the Panthers offense against a Browns team that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. The Panthers will feature McCaffrey early and often and it doesn’t seem as though any team can contain him. He should be active in all leagues as an elite RB1.
