Fantasy fallout: Christian McCaffrey injury | What McCaffrey owners should do; what league owners should offer to McCaffrey owners
Christian McCaffrey landed on the injured reserve list for the second time this season, effectively ending his season. Fantasy managers who invested a number one overall pick on the Carolina Panthers RB will have little time to mourn and will have to move quickly to secure replacements. With two weeks until most fantasy playoffs start, league owners still have some options to replace Christian McCaffrey.
If you’re on the bubble for the playoffs, remember that you have two weeks left to win out and hopefully grab that last spot for the fantasy playoffs. The only thing that matters right now is that your team wins the upcoming week’s matchup.
Fantasy lineup advice for Christina McCaffrey’s injury if you have him on your team
Most fantasy trade deadlines have passed, but if you are in a league that still allows trades, now is the time to start offering valuable players on your team to replace your RB1. If you’re flush at the running back position, make sure you solidify the position with waiver wire adds because injuries are unavoidable.
If you’re suddenly thin at RB, offer other positions like WR1 or TE1. Given the circumstances, if you have someone like TE Travis Kelce, making him available could get you a decent RB2 like Javonte Williams or RB Leonard Fournette. Now that you’ve lost Christian McCaffrey, the key is to fill the position hole or balance out your roster for the playoffs.
In the chance that RB Chuba Hubbard is still available, McCaffrey owners should scoop him up immediately or grab Hubbard off the waiver wire. The backup RB has not done much fantasy-wise when McCaffrey’s been out this season, but he will have the first opportunity to carry the ball on the ground.
Fantasy lineup advice for Christian McCaffrey’s injury if you do not have him on your team
If you’re a fantasy manager looking from the outside throughout McCaffrey’s injury-plagued season, you have leverage to make trade offers to a manager who has him on their roster. Offer them an RB2 in exchange for a WR1, two WR2s, or even a productive but rare TE1. Just be sure you are not sacrificing a positional need of your own in your trade offer.
RB Chuba Hubbard suddenly becomes a tradeable asset if you happen to have him on your roster -- fantasy managers who have McCaffrey may be willing to listen to offers that involve Hubbard.
And remember, if you’re out of the playoff picture, playing the spoiler (which means setting your team lineup and playing the best roster available) is still fun even if there’s not much at stake for the fantasy season.