The Carolina Panthers drafted Christian McCaffrey with the No. 8 overall pick to give the running game a spark, but for the most part, he’s been a non-factor on the ground. Through eight games, McCaffrey has just 49 carries for 117 yards, averaging only 2.4 yards per carry while splitting time with Jonathan Stewart.
Fantasy football start/sit, Week 9: What to do with Christian McCaffrey
McCaffrey hasn’t done anything on the ground, but his receiving ability keeps him relevant in PPR. We break down the fantasy implications.
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McCaffrey’s real value has been in the passing game, where he leads the team with 49 catches and already set a single-season franchise record for receptions by a running back. However, even then McCaffrey hasn’t been much of a threat, averaging 7.7 yards per catch as a dumpoff option for Cam Newton. He has just two touchdowns on the season.
Fantasy impact: A bad offensive line is largely to blame for the Panthers’ run-game struggles, but McCaffrey also hasn’t shown much as a runner, failing to make people miss and looking nothing like the game-breaking talent we saw at Stanford. His rookie year has to be considered a disappointment, with only the receptions propping up his fantasy value.
The Panthers shook up their offense by trading away Kelvin Benjamin, so maybe there will be a newfound commitment to the running game. This week, they face the Atlanta Falcons, whose defense is giving up the 10th-most fantasy points to running backs. It’s a decent spot for McCaffrey, but until he shows more as a playmaker, he’s not really worth trusting outside of PPR leagues.
Recommendation: Start if you’re desperate
