Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Isiah Pacheco

Monday, January 6, 6:07 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (knee) said he's "definitely close" to fully recovered from the knee injury that ended his 2024 season early. McCaffrey told ESPN's Nick Wagoner he would have been able to return had the team made the postseason, but instead, he'll continue to rehab and expects to be ready for organized team activities in the spring. The 28-year-old was specifically dealing with a PCL injury in his right knee that caused him to miss the last five games of the year, but a calf strain and bilateral Achilles tendinitis led to CMC not making his 2024 debut until Week 10. The All-Pro RB was the biggest fantasy bust of the year without question, so his health will be closely watched heading into training camp in the summer. While McCaffrey's lengthy injury history will keep him from being a top pick in the first round in 2025, he's still deserving of first-round consideration.

Sunday, January 19, 3:58 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco handled five carries for 18 yards in the 23-14 win over the Houston Texans on Saturday. Despite being the starting running back, Pacheco lost work and ceded a touchdown to Kareem Hunt later in the game. Pacheco was stuffed on his first carry and dropped his only target of the game on the team's first drive. Despite having nearly three weeks to rest and prepare for this contest, Pacheco has not regained his pre-injury form. The explosive second-year back was held to just 3.6 yards per carry in this contest. Given how Hunt has performed, Pacheco will likely remain the backup for the AFC Championship game next week. The Chiefs will take on the winner of the Divisional Round matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills. Regardless of their opponent, Pacheco's value will remain low as the RB2 on the team.