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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was the No. 1 overall running back in 2023 and has been a dominant fantasy factor when healthy since entering the NFL in 2017. Just before the 2024 season started, news broke that McCaffrey would start the year on IR with an Achilles injury, meaning he would be required to miss at least the first four games.
Fantasy managers hoped he would return in Week 5, but that did not happen, and anyone who drafted him in the first round of fantasy drafts is surely frustrated.
When is McCaffrey returning, and what is his fantasy football outlook when he suits up? Let's dive into his latest injury update.
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Christian McCaffrey Injury Update
McCaffrey (Achilles/calf) is dealing with Achilles tendinitis in both of his legs, and he is not returning in Week 6 to face the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. He did some on-field work last week and has not been reported to suffer any setbacks, so he could reasonably return this month.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey won’t return for Thursday night’s game in Seattle in Week 6, when he is eligible to come off injured reserve, but there are some reasons for encouragement, per league sources.https://t.co/XBUVkkqQTT
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 6, 2024
However, his fantasy managers and Jordan Mason's fantasy managers should stay tuned for updates because his return timeline has been unclear to this point. That said, he reportedly has a chance to return in Week 7 to face the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch.
On the flip side, the organization could opt to keep him sidelined until after the Week 9 bye. All outcomes are in play, so this remains a "wait and see" situation.
Christian McCaffrey Fantasy Football Outlook
McCaffrey rushed 272 times for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Through the air, he caught 67 passes for 564 yards and seven scores. The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year was by far the best running back in fantasy football, so he is worth starting as soon as he returns.
21st TD of the season for @CMC_22!
📺: #BALvsSF on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/pkwa8SXokx pic.twitter.com/lhomxi7DJY— NFL (@NFL) December 26, 2023
The 49ers could ease him back into action and split the backfield work between McCaffrey and Mason, but CMC should at least command the receiving role, and it would be a surprise if the Niners activated McCaffrey before they were confident in his health.
Unless your fantasy squad is absolutely loaded at running back, and you like to play it extremely safe, there's no reason McCaffrey should be on the bench if he's active. He's likely out of the running for an overall RB1 finish, but he could still compete to be the RB1 in fantasy points per game.
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