Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Ashton Jeanty

Tuesday, July 22, 5:34 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (knee) and offensive tackle Trent Williams (ankle) are both "here and healthy" at training camp, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Both players are ready to go, but their workloads will be managed throughout camp. McCaffrey was an absolute bust for fantasy managers in 2024, as he ended up missing 13 games, first due to Achilles tendinitis in both his legs, and then due to a PCL sprain in his right knee. The 29-year-old also took part in offseason activities and looked healthy then, so he shouldn't be limited in any way once the 2025 regular season begins. While CMC still has game-changing abilities and will be heavily featured in San Fran's offense, he has slipped to RB5 in RotoBaller's rankings because of his penchant for injury. McCaffrey is about as risk/reward as they come.

Wednesday, June 25, 6:15 PM

Las Vegas Raiders rookie first-round running back Ashton Jeanty has made a strong impression within the organization, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden. Head coach Pete Carroll said Jeanty was "every bit" of what the team hoped for during offseason workouts as he showcased his pass-catching abilities and understanding of the offense. The Boise State product received most of the first-team reps during OTAs and minicamp, an indication that he's already established himself as the team's RB1. "He's such a strong and dynamic back," left tackle Kolton Miller said. "Even if he gets hit, he's still balanced, and that's super unique." There's been talk that the Raiders could use a committee backfield in 2025, but they didn't draft Jeanty sixth overall for that. He's going to cost a pretty penny in fantasy drafts and is already considered a top-five fantasy back going into his rookie campaign.