Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Rashod Bateman

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.

Monday, July 28, 4:25 PM

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (illness) was sent home on Monday due to an illness, according to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. There's no reason to think this will be a long-term absence for Bateman, but he could conceivably miss the next few days of practice as well. The 25-year-old is coming off the best season of his career in 2024 when he recorded 45 catches for 756 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games. Baltimore added some talent to the wide receiver room with the offseason addition of DeAndre Hopkins, but Bateman still profiles as an important piece of the team's offense. The Ravens' low-volume passing offense limits Bateman's fantasy upside, but he has some boom/bust appeal as a flex option in deep leagues due to his ability to make plays down the field.