McCaffrey traded to 49ers

The Panthers are trading RB Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. It's obviously a big upgrade in terms of supporting cast for McCaffrey. The 49ers rank 19th in points per game and 18th in yards per game, while the Panthers sit 27th in points per game and dead last in yards per game. San Francisco is also a balanced to run-leaning offense, so McCaffrey should see plenty of rushing volume. We do worry a bit about his target volume, though, in an offense that also features Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. Overall, we'd consider this about a wash for the fantasy value of McCaffrey, who currently sits 4th among RBs in PPR points per game. We'll see if he'll play vs. the Chiefs this weekend. Carolina, meanwhile, is left with a backfield committee of D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard in a bad offense. We'll see exactly what that workload split looks like, but neither guy is an exciting fantasy option.

Update: Carolina will receive 2nd-, 3rd- and 4th-round picks in 2023, plus a 5th-rounder in 2024, according to Schefter.

Update: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport calls McCaffrey "likely" to play vs. the Chiefs on Sunday and adds, "expect a red-zone package." We'll see what else we hear about McCaffrey's projected Week 7 role.

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey logged 15 carries for 84 yards and a TD in Sunday's NFC Championship loss vs. the Eagles. He also added 4 catches for 22 yards as a receiver in the contest. The early injury to QB Brock Purdy forced the 49ers to dramatically shift their offensive game plan to a predictable, run-heavy attack. McCaffrey and company ultimately suffered as a result, though 106 total yards and a score is no small feat for the veteran RB all things considered. The soon-to-be 27-year-old is under contract through 2025 and figures to be a major focal point of this offense in the near future. McCaffrey will once again be in the RB1 overall discussion in 2023 regardless of who's under center at QB.

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (calf) upgraded to full practice participation on Friday and doesn't carry an official injury designation for Sunday's NFC Championship vs. the Eagles. Teammate RB Elijah Mitchell (groin) didn't practice at all this week and is listed as questionable. A potential Mitchell absence would be a slight boost to McCaffrey's fantasy appeal, but not by a ton. McCaffrey has logged 15+ touches in every playoff game with an average of 19.6 PPR points per game. If anything, WR Deebo Samuel would gain some value with additional touches out of the backfield possibly. The Eagles' defense ranks as the 14th-best matchup in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.

49ers RBs Christian McCaffrey (calf) and Elijah Mitchell (groin) missed their 2nd straight practices on Thursday. We're still tentatively expecting both guys to play in Sunday's NFC Championship game vs. the Eagles, but check back Friday afternoon to see how they're listed on the final injury report.

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (calf) was listed as a non-participant on Wednesday's injury report. Teammate RB Elijah Mitchell (groin) also didn't practice. It's less than ideal to see both of the Niners' top RBs listed as DNP ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship game vs. the Eagles. Fortunately, we still have a a few more days to wait and see if their participation ramps up. Be certain to check back for updates tomorrow.

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey confirmed that he played through a calf issue in Sunday's Divisional Round win over the Cowboys. He was shown multiple times trying to keep the calf loose on the sidelines and didn't play much on San Francisco's final couple of possessions. “I was fighting but made it through — made it through great," McCaffrey said after the win. We'll keep a close eye on CMC's practice participation this week but tentatively expect him to play in Sunday's NFC Championship game vs. the Eagles.