Former NFL OPOY Lands As Overvalued Fantasy Football Option In 2025
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Heading into fantasy football drafts last summer, Christian McCaffrey was the near consensus No. 1 overall pick. However, fresh off a nuclear 2023 campaign in which he produced 2,023 yards from scrimmage and 21 total touchdowns, CMC burned fantasy football managers after only playing in four games last season.
In 2025, fantasy managers need to avoid investing first-round draft capital in the three-time Pro Bowler who has now missed significant time in three of his last five seasons.
RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
The veteran back was unable to stay on the field last season after battling both an Achilles and knee injuries. Fantasy managers who drafted CMC at the top of drafts were crushed after the 49ers opted to hide the truth regarding McCaffrey’s health in the preseason.
Fresh off an overall RB69 finish in PPR formats, fantasy managers should take a cautious approach in ranking him as an RB1 this upcoming season. The recent injury pattern, combined with the wear-and-tear of eight NFL seasons, makes the former consensus top dynamic talent an overrated value with a current ADP ranking him among the top five at the position.
The action is heating up in Dynasty Leagues over at the Fantasy Football World Championships (FFWC). Now is the time to get in on the action!
2025 CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Rookie Isaac Guerendo flashed for San Francisco posting four double-digit PPR performances after Week 7. Currently, the former Louisville standout sits directly behind CMC on the 49ers’ running back depth chart.
OnSI’s San Francisco 49ers reporter Grant Cohn recently shared that he believes the club will also add a running back in this month’s NFL Draft based on Kyle Shanahan’s comments at the NFL League meetings: “We'll see if we add one in the draft, but you'd like to add one every year."
16th straight game with a scrimmage TD for @CMC_22, an NFL record! 👏
— NFL (@NFL) October 24, 2023
📺: #SFvsMIN on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/riDUhbzXkK pic.twitter.com/DCOXBA2Z0e
Despite being just one season removed from his record-setting season of 16 consecutive games with a touchdown, the 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year is a risky first-round investment.
Due to the injury risk, combined with expected competition for bell-cow work, CMC lands as an overvalued pick who could struggle to return elite RB1 production.
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Frank Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Besides contributing NFL fantasy analysis with a Vegas slant, Frank Taddeo primarily performs as On SI’s Senior Fantasy Analyst, providing his significant experience and resources in the sports world.