Getty Image / Michael Zagaris
If you played fantasy football this year, there’s a good chance that San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey went first-overall in your draft. If he wasn’t selected with the top pick, his actual selection was in the next few picks, surely.
But, if you were the unlucky person who ended up taking Christian McCaffrey early in your draft, the news late Friday afternoon regarding his health is not good and could ruin your fantasy football season.
Christian McCaffrey was considered pretty healthy a week ago at this time. Sure, he had some bumps and bruises, most notably to his calf. But, he scratched an hour or so before the team’s opening win against the Jets on Monday Night Football, and reports were at the time that he could miss Week 2, as well.
Not only was it announced on Friday that he’s going to miss Week 2’s game on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, but he could be out a lot more than just Week 2.
“49ers coach Kyle Shanahan says that RB Christian McCaffrey had his worst day health wise yesterday in terms of pain. IR is now under consideration, which would mean missing at least the next four games,” Nick Wagoner reported on Twitter.
The NFL does have retroactive injured reserve, which means that the minimum of four games a player must miss if placed on IR wouldn’t start if/when he is officially placed on IR, but would start with Week 1. So, if they do put Christian McCaffrey, that means that he wouldn’t be eligible to come back until Week 5 at the earliest. The 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals that week.
For fantasy owners, if you have Christian McCaffrey it likely means you didn’t pick again until the end of the 2nd round in a snake draft. In an auction draft you likely spent up to 25%+ of your overall budget on the superstar running back. Not having that player for four weeks could mean an 0-4 start that puts you well behind the 8-ball for making the playoffs.
Hopefully, McCaffrey can avoid the IR for this calf strain. But, it doesn’t sound good.
If, for some reason, McCaffrey’s backup Jordan Mason isn’t owned in your league, now would be the time to pick him up.