The San Francisco 49ers will face the Green Bay Packers in Week 12. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding RB Christian McCaffrey.
Is Christian McCaffrey Playing in Week 12?
Christian McCaffrey did not practice on Wednesday, but his absence was part of a maintenance plan as he recovers from Achilles tendinitis. He was back to limited on Thursday and fully practiced on Friday. CMC has no designation for Week 12.
Last week, McCaffrey was limited on Wednesday and Thursday before fully practicing on Friday. He didn’t have an official injury diagnosis for Week 11. McCaffrey’s Wednesday DNP is new, but the fact that he returned on Thursday is good news.
As expected, San Francisco didn’t hold McCaffrey back in Weeks 10 or 11, when he played 88% and 84% of the club’s snaps, respectively. While he’s yet to score, his receiving work has propelled him to RB11 and RB14 finishes in fantasy.
We’ll continue to monitor the 49ers injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Christian McCaffrey in Week 12?
For most backs, 42 touches over a two-week stretch comes with additional time in the cold tub penciled in for the following days. For Christian McCaffrey, we call it easing back into his regular role.
During those two games, CMC has handled 32 carries. Not a single one of them has gained more than 13 yards and none of them have finished in the end zone — and yet, he’s been a top-15 producer at the position in both games. Even without the impact plays, McCaffrey is picking up at least five yards on 40.6% of his rushes, giving him access to his always stable floor.
Is this the week we get an explosion game with San Francisco’s postseason hopes hanging in the balance?
It’s certainly possible and potentially projectable. The Packers are the sixth-worst run defense in terms of success rate, leading me to think that a few of those five-yard runs result in much more. I’ve made this the rare week where I’m paying top dollar for CMC in DFS contests.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 12 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Christian McCaffrey’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 12
As of early Sunday morning, McCaffrey is projected to score 20.8 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 14.8 rushing attempts for 72 yards and 0.5 touchdowns. It also includes 4.7 receptions for 41.6 yards and 0.3 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Christian McCaffrey’s Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 11:45 PM ET on Saturday, January 25.Â
Conference Championship RB PPR Rankings
1) Saquon Barkley | PHI (vs. WAS)
2) James Cook | BUF (at KC)
3) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS (at PHI)
4) Isiah Pacheco | KC (vs. BUF)
5) Kareem Hunt | KC (vs. BUF)
6) Austin Ekeler | WAS (at PHI)
7) Ray Davis | BUF (at KC)
8) Ty Johnson | BUF (at KC)
9) Samaje Perine | KC (vs. BUF)
10) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI (vs. WAS)
11) Jeremy McNichols | WAS (at PHI)
12) Will Shipley | PHI (vs. WAS)
13) Carson Steele | KC (vs. BUF)
14) Reggie Gilliam | BUF (at KC)
15) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS (at PHI)
