There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Christian McCaffrey dominating fantasy football. McCaffrey has four career years with at least 200 carries. He finished as the RB2, RB1, RB2, and RB1 in those seasons. No running back has consistently produced in fantasy football quite like CMC in the last decade.
Fantasy managers expect more of the same in 2024 as McCaffrey has been the consensus 1.01 throughout the offseason. But some recent news may throw a wrench into the plans of drafters with the No. 1 pick. McCaffrey has missed the entirety of the preseason while dealing with a calf strain.
We just saw Joe Burrow look like a shell of himself for a month-plus following a calf strain last season. Is this injury enough to reconsider McCaffrey at the 1.01? It would be devastating to burn the first pick of the draft on a player who isn't playing at their best right from the jump.
McCaffrey is expected to be ready to go for the regular season, but let's take a look at his fantasy outlook for this year and evaluate whether or not he's still worth the first overall pick.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
Christian McCaffrey Fantasy Football Outlook 2024: Should he be the first overall pick following injury?
Christian McCaffrey fantasy outlook following calf injury
Outside of his rookie season, McCaffrey has been a contender for the RB1 title each and every year. He has claimed that title twice, including a year (2019) where he scored the 5th most points by a running back all time.
Since moving to San Francisco two years ago, McCaffrey has been arguably the most valuable player in all of fantasy football. McCaffrey has 26 games under his belt as a member of the 49ers. In those 26 games, McCaffrey has finished as a weekly RB1 (RB12 or better) at a ridiculous 81 percent rate. He has only finished as an RB3 or worse (RB25 or worse) once! Here's another one for you: in those 26 games, McCaffrey has scored 40-plus PPR points as many times as he's scored fewer than 15 points. He has done both three times.
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
We can sit here all day and rattle off absurd Christian McCaffrey stats. There's no getting around the fact that CMC is the best running back that fantasy football and the NFL have to offer. His ability to handle a large workload and three-down skill set make him the dream running back for any coach or fantasy manager.
He is one of the few bell cow running backs left in the modern NFL. His 79-percent snap share was the highest in the NFL last year, and he was one of only four RBs to hit the 70-percent mark. His role in the passing game further boosts his fantasy value. He ran a route on 78 percent of Brock Purdy's dropbacks, the highest rate of any running back. McCaffrey's 19-percent target share was also first among RBs last year. Putting that all together, you have the most fantasy-friendly role of any running back in the NFL.
At this point, it should be quite clear that Christian McCaffrey is viewed as the top dog at running back for a reason. He is the most talented running back in the game and is the focal point of an offense that should undoubtedly rank within the top-5. This combination of talent and situation is hard to come by, and NFL fans and fantasy managers should feel lucky that they are able to witness this level of greatness.
2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB | RB | WR | TE | Each Team
The Verdict: Should Christian McCaffrey be the No.1 pick in fantasy drafts?
Yes, it is alarming to see that the 1.01 is dealing with a soft tissue injury before the season even begins. It becomes a bit scarier knowing this is his second calf injury in recent months. McCaffrey's 2023 regular season was cut short after he suffered the same injury in Week 17.
But barring any further negative developments, CMC is still the clear No. 1 pick in drafts. McCaffrey dominates a position where high-end production is scarce. And he seemingly does it with ease. Taking McCaffrey with the first overall pick may be the easiest decision you make in your draft.
2024 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (PPR & STANDARD)
Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
