After frustrating fantasy football managers last season, Christian McCaffrey has returned in 2021 with a strong start through two weeks. However, with fantasy assets often being viewed warily on Thursday Night Football, should you still start McCaffrey with no worries in Week 3, or is there a case to sit him?
Christian McCaffrey has had a strong start to the 2021 fantasy season
McCaffrey’s 2021 season has so far been everything that fantasy managers hoped it would be. Through two weeks, he has 170 rushing yards, a touchdown, 14 receptions, and 154 receiving yards. Add it all up, and McCaffrey leads the NFL in total scrimmage yards with 324.
McCaffrey is the second-ranked RB in half-PPR formats and the 14th overall player. He has also been reasonably consistent across the first two weeks. In Week 1, he scored 23.2 fantasy points in half-PPR, and in Week 2, he managed 22.2.
The Texans have struggled against RBs in 2021
Through two weeks, only five teams have allowed more fantasy points to RBs than the Houston Texans. Houston’s defense has allowed 29.2 fantasy points per week to the position, including 314 total yards, 3 touchdowns, and 9 receptions.
The majority of that production was generated by the Browns. Cleveland’s three running backs combined for 146 rushing yards, 4 receptions, 56 receiving yards, and 2 total touchdowns.
But the Jaguars also had success against the Texans. The combination of Carlos Hyde and James Robinson had 69 rushing yards on 14 attempts while adding 43 receiving yards on 5 receptions.
Should you start McCaffrey in Week 2?
It is almost impossible to ever advise someone against starting McCaffrey in fantasy leagues.
Yes, Thursday Night Football can be a minefield. In Week 1, Ezekiel Elliott managed just 39 yards and 2 receptions. Leonard Fournette could muster only 59 yards and 5 receptions.
Then, in Week 2, Saquon Barkley had 69 yards and 2 receptions, while Antonio Gibson managed just 73 yards and 2 receptions. However, there is one success story from last week in J.D. McKissic, who posted 93 yards, 5 receptions, and a touchdown.
The thing that makes McCaffrey so hard to sit for fantasy managers is the lack of competition in Carolina’s backfield. Chuba Hubbard has 10 rushing yards on 8 attempts this year while adding 4 receiving yards on 2 receptions. The only other players to register a single carry for the Panthers in 2021 are DJ Moore and Sam Darnold.
Combine that lack of competition with a matchup that looks friendly, and sitting McCaffrey looks like a low-odds play. Sure, he might struggle, but what would you rather be upset about Thursday night — starting McCaffrey and watching him disappoint, or sitting him when he has another 20-plus-point fantasy performance?