Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Tony Pollard

Tuesday, December 16, 6:21 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (back) popped up on Saturday's injury report with a back issue, but he looked healthy handling 22 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Titans. McCaffrey also caught his lone target of the day for 14 receiving yards. The reduction in pass volume was stark compared to the 8.2 targets he averaged before the 49ers' Week 14 bye, but it may have been a small act towards preserving the playmaker's health. McCaffrey will get an extra day of rest going into Week 16, as the 49ers will square off against the Colts on Monday night. Concern over McCaffrey's back makes Brian Robinson Jr. a must-stash as he would likely step into a bellcow role if CMC sits. Assuming McCaffrey is healthy, he will once again be a must-start in the semi-final round of the fantasy football playoffs.

Wednesday, December 17, 9:35 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard has caught fire of late, running wild for 265 rushing yards and three touchdowns over the past two weeks, which has earned him back-to-back top 10 running back performances. After landing on most analysts' "sit" list for most of the season due to his lack of effectiveness and how bad the Titans' offense has been, Pollard is showing some life in the fantasy playoffs and should be back on the fantasy radar in Week 16. Unfortunately for Pollard and the Titans, they have a tough matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, who allow the seventh fewest points to the running back position. That being said, Pollard should continue to see the volume he's seen over the past two weeks and project to see 10-15 carries, which keeps him in the RB3 conversations in Week 16. Backfield mate, Tyjae Spears, has been involved, playing about 50 percent of the snaps, but is not nearly seeing the amount of running back carries as Pollard has been getting, as most of Spears' production has been as a pass-catcher.