Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Saquon Barkley

Friday, September 11, 8:04 AM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that running back Christian McCaffrey dealt with some cramps during the season-opening win on Thursday over the division-rival Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, but made it through fine, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. McCaffrey did not have a huge Week 1 performance, but he did enough to help the Niners pull off a blowout win over a Rams defense that came into the 2026 season expected to be one of the best units in the league. The 30-year-old had 10 carries for 68 yards and caught five of his eight targets for 20 yards. It was a notable reduction in his workload after finishing as the RB1 in fantasy in 2025 with a career- and league-high 413 touches in 17 regular-season starts. Rookie Kaelon Black actually had four more carries than CMC, who did not do much in training camp due to undisclosed tightness. McCaffrey might not see as hefty a workload in 2026, but if he stays healthy again all year, he still has the potential to be a league-winner in San Fran's offense. He is a must-start for a Week 2 matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 20.