Carolina Panthers - Fantasy News

Should I Start Christian McCaffrey in Week 10?

by Derek Norton

11/8/17

NFL

Carolina Panthers

Christian McCaffrey

Carolina Panther Christian McCaffrey isn’t getting quite as much press as some of the other rookie running backs, but he’s having a solid season. He’s coming off a career-high 15 carries and scored his first NFL rushing touchdown in a win over the Atlanta Falcons last week.

Next up is a home matchup with the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football.

Why Should I Start Christian McCaffrey?

McCaffrey greatly benefits from Dober’s half-PPR scoring. Not only does he have the most receptions among running backs, but he has the third-most catches in the league. Only Antonio Brown and Jarvis Landry have more. McCaffrey averages six receptions on eight targets per game.

As the season goes on, Jonathan Stewart continues to look incapable of carrying the load. He has failed to reach 50 yards in five straight games. He’s averaging 24 yards per game and 1.9 yards per carry over that stretch. Now entering the second half of the season at age 30, Stewart might not have it anymore. It won’t be a surprise to see the Panthers phase Stewart out and get McCaffrey more involved as early as this week.

The Dolphins have given up some good receiving games to running backs. Most notably they allowed Alvin Kamara to catch 10 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. Four running backs have exceeded 40 receiving yards against them. As one of the better receiving backs in the league, McCaffrey could easily put up numbers similar to Kamara.

Why Should I Bench Christian McCaffrey?

Even though McCaffrey has the third-most receptions in the league, he doesn’t get the ball that much compared to other running backs. He ranks 20^th in touches since the Panthers don’t let him run the ball often. He is coming off a 15-carry game, but for all we know that was an anomaly. The Panthers could go back to giving Stewart the ball this week.

Though the Dolphins have given up some big games to running backs, those tend to be few and far between. Alex Collins is the only one to exceed 100 yards from scrimmage against them. No other running back has exceeded 68 yards and Kamara is the only one to have a receiving touchdown. Before Marshawn Lynch scored twice on Sunday night, the Dolphins had only given up four total touchdowns to running backs.

T.J. McDonald is going to make his Miami debut after serving an eight-game suspension. The Dolphins already have the seventh-ranked rushing defense in the league and now they’re going to add an excellent run-stopping safety. If McDonald is good to go, he should limit McCaffrey’s upside.

Should I Make Christian McCaffrey a Week 10 Fantasy Starter?

Yes. The receptions are great, but it’s Stewart’s recent performances that make McCaffrey a good option. The Panthers surely want to get more out of the eighth overall pick and Stewart’s inability to get anything going has given them the perfect opportunity. McCaffrey starts as Carolina’s lead back this week and meets his projection with his work in the passing game.

Week 10 Fantasy Prediction: Christian McCaffrey Over 11.5 DFPs