Fantasy football: 5 players you should avoid on draft day in 2018
By Aaron Tan
![CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 13: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs the ball against the Miami Dolphins in the first quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on November 13, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 13: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs the ball against the Miami Dolphins in the first quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on November 13, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/0cb135a47b5921d7e488b34b045edb88153fa8adffd3e1297a0a205442b63e99.jpg)
No. 2: Running Back Christian McCaffrey
I had sky-high expectations for Christian McCaffrey, arguably Stanford’s best-ever running back, coming out of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers took him really early with the eighth overall pick, but I did not feel like it was a reach for a player with such talent.
More from Niner Noise
- 49ers 2023 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick news and analysis
- Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
- DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet
- 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
- 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar
However, McCaffrey had a disappointing rookie season, fantasy-wise, earning 435 rushing yards, 651 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. These statistics aren’t bad at all, but I was expecting McCaffrey to become a lot more involved in the Carolina offense. Jonathan Stewart, a big bruising back, still ran the ball on most first and second downs.
The truth is that McCaffrey isn’t built to sustain 20-plus touches a game. He is the opposite of a workhorse running back and more of a gadget player, which obviously hurts his fantasy value a lot.
The Panthers signed C.J. Anderson, a better version of Jonathan Stewart. He, along with dual-threat quarterback Cam Newton, should vulture most of the goal-line touchdowns away from McCaffrey.
The ex-Cardinal is currently being drafted in the third and fourth rounds. Skip out on him (unless you’re in a PPR league) and get yourself an Alex Collins or Amari Cooper instead. McCaffrey has a safe floor but limited ceiling. You just don’t draft players with low upside in the early rounds.