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

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.

Thursday, July 31, 9:11 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (groin) returned to practice on Thursday, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. Pittman Jr. tweaked his groin during the team's training camp practice on Tuesday. The 27-year-old played 16 games through a fracture in his lower back in 2024, so he's surely hoping to get to the 2025 season as healthy as possible. Pittman Jr. finished last season with 69 catches for 808 yards and three touchdowns, each of which was his lowest total since his rookie season in 2020. He and third-year slot receiver Josh Downs are the top two target earners in the Colts' offense. Pittman Jr.'s fantasy viability depends heavily on the level of quarterback play Indianapolis can squeeze out of the combination of Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.