Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Tyrone Tracy Jr.

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.

Friday, December 19, 9:16 AM

New York Giants second-year running back out of Purdue, Tyron Tracy Jr., piled up 97 total yards (70 rushing and 27 receiving) in Week 15 and punched in two touchdowns, good for 23.20 points in half PPR formats. Since the injury to Cam Skattebo (ankle) in Week 8, the backfield snaps have been relatively split between Tracy and Devin Singletary. However, in Week 15 we saw Tracy take a majority of the snaps for the first time since Skattebo's injury (76% compared to Singletary's 24%), and out touch him 19 to six, which is an excellent sign for Tracy fantasy managers as we head into the semi-finals of the fantasy football playoffs, as he now provides managers with the confidence to start him as an RB2/flex option against the Minnesota Vikings due to his projected opportunities. The Vikings have been middle-of-the-pack against opposing running backs, allowing the 15th fewest points to the position; however, given Tracy's projected volume after what he earned in Week 15, he can be started in most 12-team or larger formats.