Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Michael Penix Jr.

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.

Tuesday, October 14, 11:59 AM

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. completed 20 of 32 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 24-14 win over the Bills, adding two rushes for six yards. The former first-round draft pick has looked more confident in his last two contests (69 percent completion rate, 3:1 TD:INT) after posting duds in Weeks 2 and 3 (54 percent completion rate, 0:2 TD:INT). Still, even though he's recorded one rushing score this season, the 25-year-old has gained just 37 yards on the ground through five games in 2025, so he does not have that weekly floor built into his fantasy value that so many other QBs have these days, currently ranking as the No. 27 QB in fantasy. The University of Washington product will face a 49ers defense in Week 7 that is middle of the pack in terms of allowing fantasy production to opposing QBs, but proactive managers interested in a streaming option might look ahead to the following week, where he'll face a soft Miami defense that has been generous in the passing game, giving up the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.