Zachary Engberg
2 min read • May 10, 2022
Posted in
After a dominant start to his career that firmly planted him as the top player in fantasy football, Christian McCaffrey will enter the 2022 season as a potentially risky selection.
McCaffrey has missed 23 of a potential 33 games in the last two seasons with a collection of injuries, including: a Sept. 2020 high ankle sprain, Nov. 2020 right shoulder sprain, Dec. 2020 thigh strain, Sept. 2021 hamstring strain, and Nov. 2021 ankle sprain.
The 25-year-old took two trips to the IR this season, the second of which prematurely ended his season on Nov. 29 after what amounted to about five-and-a-half games.
These injuries, however, are not evidence of a pattern and none are long-term or likely to linger, according to the ProFootballDocs.
McCaffrey could provide great value as a dynasty trade target or re-draft pick as a depressed asset.
Even his most recent injury – the ankle sprain that ended his season – looked mundane at the time, according to the ProFootballDocs, as it appeared to be a normal inversion sprain of his left ankle.
It was a surprise to many, the Docs notwithstanding, when he was placed on IR.
Despite playing in inconsistent intervals, McCaffrey has averaged 115.9 yards from scrimmage on a robust 5.5 yards per touch in his 10 games the past two seasons.
Part of his production is situational, as the Panthers have gone through several unsuccessful quarterbacks during his tenure.
Carolina remains in that position, as they exercised Sam Darnold’s fifth-year option but are reportedly looking at Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo as other potential starters.
Regardless of the starter, McCaffrey has been their best receiving threat, brining in 90% of his targets at 9.1 yards per reception.
McCaffrey will get better protection and more rushing lanes after working behind the second-worst offensive line last season, according to PFF.
Carolina used the No. 6 overall pick in the Draft on dominant left tackle Ikem Ekwonu in addition to bringing in veterans Bradley Bozeman and Austin Corbett to revamp the line around mainstay right tackle Taylor Morton.
While running backs that play with McCaffrey’s robust workload do tend to slow down earlier in their careers, a recent study from Apex Insider found that a backs’ peak years in terms of yards from scrimmage come in their age 26 and 27 seasons.
McCaffrey, who will be in the first year of a five-year contract in 2022, will turn 26 on June 7 and will enter having had over nine months between games to rest and rehab.
The stud from Stanford still has the ceiling of the No. 1 player in fantasy football and could be a draft or trade steal.
Written by Zachary Engberg
