Fantasy football: Where to draft San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey

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After suffering a 31-7 defeat in last year’s NFC Championship, the 49ers are looking to make yet another deep playoff push and at the head of the offensive attack for San Francisco is RB Christian McCaffrey, who is looking to have an impactful 1st full season with the 49ers.

Below, we look at Christian McCaffrey’s 2023 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers after 6 games with the Carolina Panthers last season, and the San Francisco offense took a leap when McCaffrey joined the team. McCaffrey ran for 746 yards on 159 carries with 464 receiving yards and 10 total TDs in 11 games with the 49ers, and fans are excited to see what he can do in a full season with the 49ers.

McCaffrey’s 2020 and 2021 seasons were plagued with injuries, only playing 10 games through those 2 seasons, but after playing in all 17 games last year, fans believe those worries may be a thing of the past.

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Christian McCaffrey’s ADP: 4.64

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

McCaffrey’s current ADP has him as an early 1st-round pick in all leagues, which might even be an understatement. The 49ers offense is heavily loaded with talent at all positions, but none are more important or consistent than McCaffrey. The biggest concern with McCaffrey is his injury history, but after a healthy and very successful year last year I don’t think fantasy owners have too much to worry about.

McCaffrey currently has the 2nd-highest ADP of any player in the league, only be Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson (3.11). McCaffrey has the highest ADP of any back, with the next 2 closest being Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson (8.95) and Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler (7.08). Because of McCaffrey’s versatility in both the rushing and passing attacks, and his consistency throughout his career, he should be a top-2 pick in all leagues.

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Christian McCaffrey’s 2022 stats

Games: 17

Carries | rushing yards: 244 | 1,139

Rushing touchdowns: 8

Receptions | receiving yards: 85 | 741

Receiving touchdowns: 5

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Where should you draft McCaffrey?

McCaffrey is someone who is a must-grab if you have are fortunate enough to have an early pick in your league. The only player I could support you drafting above McCaffrey would be Jefferson, and even that is up for debate.

McCaffrey is such a valuable asset in fantasy because of how he is used in the both the running and passing game. He is always in competition for most total touchdowns at the end of the year and is usually good for 1,000+ yards rushing when healthy. Combine those rushing yards with his usual 600+ receiving yards and you’ve got the best fantasy back you could have.

If McCaffrey is able to stay healthy is a very obvious RB1 and will likely be the 1st, if not 2nd, pick in all drafts. Snatch him if you can as he will be a must-start every week.

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