Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Chig Okonkwo

Monday, August 18, 6:14 PM

The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes that it makes sense for the San Francisco 49ers to lean on running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle in the passing game early this season. Barrows also added that if McCaffrey is "not back to his 2023 form, he's pretty close to it." McCaffrey helped many fantasy managers win championships in 2023, when he ran for a career-high and league-high 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns on 272 carries while also catching 67 passes for 564 yards and another seven scores in 16 regular-season starts. Unfortunately, CMC got a late start to his 2024 season due to Achilles tendinitis and also injured his knee late in the year. He ultimately played only four games and didn't look like his All-Pro self. McCaffrey is no longer in play for No. 1 overall in fantasy drafts, and although he's ranked fifth among RBs at RotoBaller, he's the biggest risk/reward RB.

Saturday, August 2, 6:55 PM

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo "continues to look like he has an extra gear," according to team reporter JT Ruhnke. The 25-year-old has spent his entire career in Music City since being drafted by the team in 2022. He's appeared in all 17 regular-season games in each of his three seasons. While Okonkwo hasn't been consistently productive, he at least flashed some signs of promise by totaling 138 receptions for 1,457 yards and six touchdowns. He'll have plenty of competition for targets in 2025, with Tyler Lockett, Calvin Ridley, and Van Jefferson all looking for attention. The Titans will also presumably have rookie quarterback Cam Ward under center, although it's realistic to assume he might struggle on occasion. With so much anticipated volatility at the tight end position, Okonkwo could find himself in fantasy lineups this season. However, fantasy managers shouldn't expect consistent production from him on a week-to-week basis.