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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has had an excellent 2022 season. The superstar running back is the RB2 for the year, averaging 18.7 half-point PPR fantasy points per game.
However, he has been unstoppable since joining the 49ers. Over his past nine games with the team, the former first-round pick has averaged 21.1 fantasy points per game, scoring 10 touchdowns during that span.
After missing 70% of the games over the past two years, McCaffrey hasn’t missed a game this season. However, he had missed some practice time with minor injuries.
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Is Christian McCaffrey Healthy Or Injured?
The superstar running back missed practice earlier this week with ankle and knee injuries. However, his absence from practice was a precautionary move. McCaffrey should play this week against the Arizona Cardinals. However, fantasy players shouldn’t expect the running back to see a heavy workload.
The 49ers are two-touchdown favorites over the Cardinals. Arizona will start their fourth quarterback of the year. They will also be without their top wide receiver, running back, and tight end for this game.
Should I Start Christian McCaffrey In Week 18?
Despite the situation, fantasy players should start McCaffrey in all season-long leagues this week. The superstar running back is too talented to bench, even if he plays only 50% of the snaps.
Yet, DFS players should avoid putting the former Carolina Panther in their lineups on Sunday. The matchup against the Cardinals is appealing. The NFC West bottom feeders have surrendered 24.2 fantasy points per game to running backs this season, the fourth-most in the NFL.
Furthermore, they have been awful at stopping the run lately. Over their past four games, running backs have averaged 127.8 rushing yards, 1.5 rushing touchdowns, and 32.6 fantasy points per game against Arizona.
However, the 49ers won’t need McCaffrey to win this game. Therefore, they could bench him at any point in the game. Furthermore, Elijah Mitchell should play after missing the past five games with an MCL sprain.
Before getting hurt, the second-year running back averaged 11.3 rushing attempts per game in the three contests he played with McCaffrey. While he likely won’t have a heavy workload in his return, Mitchell’s return impacts McCaffrey’s fantasy value this week.
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