Christian McCaffrey Should Be The #1 Overall Pick In Almost Every Fantasy Football Draft

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As the first guy to implement a Zero RB strategy where you go away from risky, oft-injured RBs in early rounds, it pains me to say it, but Christian McCaffrey should be the 1st overall pick in almost any format of draft. If you're in a 2 QB or Superflex league where other managers gobble up QBs early, you may have some pause, especially if it's 6-point passing TDs, but in most modern leagues that are either 0.5 or 1.0 points per reception (PPR), this man is a God.

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Looking at his final 13 games with San Francisco (wiping out the first one as he didn't even start), his numbers shake out to an average of: 73 rushing yards per game 5 catches for 39 yards and 1.0 TDs per game. In 0.5 PPR that's 19.7 points per game, in full PPR that's 22.2 points per game. But what I love more than anything is the consistency. He scored at least 1 TD in 12 of his 13 starts with San Francisco last year. The offense figures to be very similar with a healthy Brock Purdy ready to lead the 49er faithful into a new era and while CMC isn't the workhorse type back a Derrick Henry or a Nick Chubb are, the fact he catches so many passes with such consistency gives him my edge over Austin Ekeler. 

My main concern with Ekeler is age. He's 28 which is no bueno when it comes to RB production. Along with that is the addition of 1st Round rookie Quentin Johnston who will provide some padding to the offense if Mike Williams and/or Keenan Allen go down this year. Because once they got back into the lineup, Ekeler faded down the stretch with just 16 catches in his final five games. That coupled with the age make me give CMC the slight nod. 

McCaffrey is 27, so he's no spring chicken. But the only knock on him is injury history. He played 3 and 7 games in 2020 and 2021. But he had no injury history in the NFL prior to those years and he's revitalized with the best running attack in the NFL and a QB who is still fairly green, so I'm looking forward to checkdown city with CMC. His last full season in 2019 with Carolina, he went for 19 TDs, so I'm expecting a similar output this year.

When McCaffrey fell to Dave Portnoy with the 2nd pick in a PPR Draft Meek Phill, the entire office was in a tizzy.

If you want to go deeper than RB1, check out our Runningback preview to get you ready for your Draft.