Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or C.J. Stroud

Sunday, October 12, 9:35 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey shouldered another monster workload in his team's 30-19 Week 6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McCaffrey recorded 17 carries for 54 yards, adding seven catches for 57 yards on eight targets as a receiver. The 29-year-old has now topped 100 yards from scrimmage in every game the 49ers have played so far this season. McCaffrey has struggled with rushing efficiency, recording 336 rushing yards and a touchdown on 108 carries (3.1 yards per attempt). However, he's saved his numbers by hauling in 46 catches for 444 yards and three scores. For as long as he's able to stay healthy, McCaffrey is a must-start fantasy running back.

Sunday, October 5, 5:35 PM

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 23 of 27 pass attempts for 244 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 5 win over the Baltimore Ravens. He also broke off a 30-yard rush and took two sacks. The former No. 2 pick showed flashes of his rookie self as the Texans took advantage of an injury-riddled Ravens defense. Stroud set his season high in completion rate, passing yards, and passing touchdowns along the way. This was a very soft matchup for the young quarterback, so Sunday's result doesn't necessarily mean he's back to being a high-end QB1 every week. However, at the very least, the big game should give him some confidence going forward and give the Texans something to build off of and learn from. Houston has a Week 6 bye, which means they'll have an extra week to figure out what went right as they develop their game plan for Week 7 against Seattle.