Who Is The No. 1 Overall Pick For 2023 Fantasy Football? Making The Case For Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was the ninth overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2017 NFL Draft. McCaffrey had 632 rushing attempts for 3,922 yards and 21 touchdowns in his three years at Stanford. Furthermore, he had 99 receptions for 1,206 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his college career.

McCaffrey was a fantasy star the minute he walked into the NFL. The former Stanford star had 197 touches for 1,086 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. He then had 326 touches, including 107 receptions, for 1,965 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns the following year.

However, McCaffrey’s best season came in 2019. The superstar had 403 touches for 2,392 scrimmage yards and 19 touchdowns, all career highs. Furthermore, he led the NFL in all three categories and finished third in the AP Offensive Player of the Year award race.

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What Did Christian McCaffrey Accomplish In 2022?

Unfortunately, the superstar running back struggled with injuries over the next two seasons. McCaffrey played in only 10 of 33 games in 2020 and 2021. However, the veteran bounced back last year, playing all 17 games.

The former Stanford star spent the first six games with the Panthers, totaling 118 touches for 670 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. However, McCaffrey’s numbers took off after he got traded to the 49ers.

In the 11 games with San Francisco, the superstar had 211 touches for 1,210 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns. Furthermore, his first touchdown with the 49ers was a 34-yard passing score to Brandon Aiyuk.

Should Christian McCaffrey Be The No. 1 Overall Pick In 2023?

While the veteran played only 29% of the snaps in Week 7 (his first game with the 49ers), McCaffrey was a fantasy superstar through the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.

The former Stanford star was the RB2 last year, averaging 18.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Following his first game with the team, the superstar was the RB1 through the end of the year, averaging 20.5 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, the veteran averaged 5.9 targets per game last season in San Francisco.

McCaffrey’s injury history is a concern. However, the superstar is the top running back in the NFL when healthy. If the veteran holds up physically, McCaffrey likely ends the 2023 season as the overall RB1.

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