Fantasy Football Player Notes

McCaffrey remained "THE DUDE" at running back in fantasy last year. He was the RB1 in fantasy, finishing as an RB1 in 81% of his games and as a top 24 RB in every game he played. McCaffrey averaged 21.2 touches and 126.5 total yards per game while ranking second in carries, fourth in targets, and first in red zone touches among running backs. There's no reason to expect a falloff entering 2024. His deeper efficiency metrics all scream that he remains in the prime of his career after ranking fourth in explosive run rate and 10th in yards after contact last season (per Fantasy Points Data).

Elijah Mitchell retains his backup/handcuff role in San Francisco for Christian McCaffrey. Mitchell struggled to stay healthy in the NFL, which continued in 2023. He was limited to 11 games played and 81 touches. Mitchell is a viable handcuff option in the later rounds of drafts again this season, but don't be surprised if Jordan Mason overtakes him as McCaffrey's backup. Mason was impressive with his limited work last season, with a 7.5% explosive run rate, a 23% missed tackle rate, and 2.95 yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Mitchell is a player to still get some exposure to in the later rounds of best ball and redraft formats.