Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Zamir White

Saturday, June 29, 1:07 PM

No NFL running back played a higher percentage of his team's offensive snaps last year than San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey. Elijah Mitchell, their top backup, missed six games in another injury-riddled season, and McCaffrey was simply too good to take off the field. CMC led the league with 1,459 rushing yards -- 292 more than the next best RB. His 21 TDs tied for the league lead and he also added 564 receiving yards, which ranked fourth on the 49ers. His 339 total touches were the second-most of his career. McCaffrey's efforts earned him Offensive Player of the Year honors and a two-year extension. The Niners would love a repeat performance in 2024, but perhaps with less wear and tear. A healthy Mitchell would help them accomplish that. "We have to protect Christian from himself. He doesn't like to ever come out no matter what the situation is and I do think that's something we could protect him with more," head coach Kyle Shanahan said.

Monday, July 8, 2:19 PM

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White stepped up last season and is in great shape heading into the 2024 season, but he will have to prove it to the coaching staff again this year and to new general manager Tom Telesco. The Raiders lost Josh Jacobs in free agency but brought in Alexander Mattison because of his fit to the new offense. The Athletic's Vic Tafur also writes that the Raiders could add another running back if either White or Mattison get off to a slow start in training camp this summer. The 24-year-old White is expected to open the season as Vegas' lead back, with Mattison filling a complementary role ahead of RB3 Ameer Abdullah. As long as he doesn't fall flat in training camp and the preseason, fantasy managers should view White as a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 as he takes on an expanded role with Jacobs out of the picture.