Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Zack Moss

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.

Tuesday, July 29, 5:31 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss (neck), who broke his neck in three places last year, is on the Non-Football Injury list and continues to work on his conditioning on side fields during training camp, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. "I've pretty much been a couch potato since November," Moss said. The 27-year-old briefly considered retirement in the offseason but ultimately decided to return in 2025 on a reduced salary. Chase Brown emerged as one of the best backs in the NFL last year after Moss' injury, and the team drafted Tahj Brooks out of Texas in the sixth round this year. He's currently out of football shape due to a lack of activity last year following his injury, which has allowed Brooks, Samaje Perine and Gary Brightwell more reps as they compete for the RB2 role. It sounds like Moss could be buried on the depth chart if he's even ready for the start of the 2025 season.