Needless to say, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been spectacular for fantasy football throughout his seven-year NFL career. This season, the do-it-all offensive weapon has rushed 272 times for a career-high 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns. As a receiver, he's snagged 67 passes for 564 yards and seven scores. He is arguably the MVP of the 2023 fantasy season.
Unfortunately, he was banged up in the Week 17 win over the Washington Commanders. With the 49ers already clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC, McCaffrey's status for Sunday is uncertain.
Is McCaffrey playing in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Rams? Let's dive in.
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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that McCaffrey (calf) is dealing with a mild calf strain and will not play in the Week 18 regular season finale against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Jan. 7.
The 49ers have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye, so McCaffrey and likely a lot of other starters are going to be rested in a meaningless game to close out the regular season. It's a prime example of why most fantasy leagues wrap up their championships in Week 17.
With the 27-year-old resting up the next two weeks, Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason will both have bigger roles in the Niners' backfield, with Mitchell being the more attractive fantasy play for those with something still on the line this week.
Christian McCaffrey Fantasy Football Outlook
While McCaffrey is out in Week 18, he'll be a popular pick for NFL Playoffs fantasy leagues and single-game DFS contests. He has rarely disappointed this season, and he will not play again until the Divisional Round beginning on the weekend of January 20. He'll likely be as healthy as he has all season after two weeks off.
Hopefully, his absence in Week 18 won't affect too many fantasy managers.
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