Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Theo Johnson

Wednesday, January 7, 3:00 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey finished 2025 as the RB1 in almost all fantasy formats, and he carries the same projection into most fantasy playoff leagues. San Francisco opens the playoffs against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles and a defensive front that scarcely resembles the one that gave Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs fits in Super Bowl LIX. The Eagles were the 10th most generous fantasy defense to opposing running backs, and McCaffrey comes into the matchup having finished as the RB12 or better in 14 of 17 starts in Full-PPR formats. He is RotoBaller's RB1 for Wild Card Weekend and, given San Francisco's status as 4.5-point road underdogs, an obvious must-start in formats that allow players to be started only once.

Friday, January 2, 3:59 PM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (illness) has officially been ruled out for the team's Week 18 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys due to an illness. The 24-year-old also missed New York's Week 17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders due to illness, so he's apparently dealing with a relatively serious ailment. The 3-13 Giants also have little reason to push Johnson before he's fully healthy, which could be a factor in his absence as well. Across 16 games played in 2025, Johnson recorded 45 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets. Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger saw a significant increase in playing time in Johnson's absence in Week 17, lining up for 97% of New York's offensive snaps. However, Bellinger hauled in just two receptions for 11 yards on three targets and remains difficult for fantasy managers to trust in Week 18.