Christian McCaffrey

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• Panthers' Christian McCaffrey: Preparing for new partner

  03/04/2018 • By RotoWire Staff

  McCaffrey likely will have a new backfield partner in 2018, though he could see more touches as a result of Jonathan Stewart's recent release, Max Henson of the Panthers' official website reports. "I think you do need to have that in the NFL today," Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "It's tough to have one guy that just dominates a game. You have to have guys that have similar characteristics but also do something special that can separate them." McCaffrey had nearly as many targets (113) as carries (117) in his rookie season, with 59.9 percent of his 1,086 scrimmage yards and five of his seven touchdowns coming through the air. His mark of 3.7 yards per carry may not seem to beg for an expanded role in the rushing attack, but he at least was more effective than the recently released Stewart, who managed just 3.4 yards per tote. The Panthers likely want McCaffrey to take on a portion of Stewart's vacated carries, with the rest going to Cameron Artis-Payne, a draft pick or a free-agent signing. The No. 8 overall pick from last year's draft figures to take on more work in Year 2, but a regular three-down role shouldn't be assumed.

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• Panthers' Christian McCaffrey: Scores long touchdown in defeat

  01/08/2018 • By RotoWire Staff

  McCaffrey finished with six rushes for 16 yards and caught six of eight targets for 101 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 31-26 NFC wild-card loss to the Saints. McCaffrey was kept under wraps until he exploded for a 56-yard, catch-and-run touchdown during the fourth quarter. That play marked the longest gain of McCaffrey's rookie season, giving him a second career 100-yard receiving game in the process. Overall, McCaffrey's biggest impact this term came through the air, where he finished the regular season with an impressive 80 receptions on 113 targets for 651 yards and five scores. In comparison, he managed just 435 yards and two touchdowns on 117 carries. So while last year's eighth overall pick has already emerged as one of the league's best receiving tailbacks, in his second season he'll aim to improve his efficiency on the ground to become even more dynamic. Although quarterback Cam Newton and veteran Jonathan Stewart still figure to consume carries, McCaffrey could take his stock to the next level by making more use of his, which despite any durability concerns linked to his size, should only increase going forward.

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• Panthers' Christian McCaffrey: Underwhelms despite expanded opportunity

  01/01/2018 • By RotoWire Staff

  McCaffrey rushed six times for 14 yards and brought in five of eight targets for 40 yards in Sunday's 22-10 loss to the Falcons. The first-round pick was theoretically poised for an expanded role with Jonathan Stewart (back) a surprise inactive, but the additional opportunities didn't really come to fruition. McCaffrey's 11 total touches matched his Week 16 tally, and they paled in comparison to the 18 he'd logged in Week 15 against the Packers. The rookie finishes his first regular-season campaign having posted a single-game high of 66 rushing yards and topping out at 101 yards through the air. The latter total came against the same Saints squad the Panthers will face next Sunday in an NFC wild-card road tilt, infusing some optimism into McCaffrey's fantasy outlook for those playing postseason contests.

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• Panthers' Christian McCaffrey: Quiet in Sunday's win

  12/24/2017 • By RotoWire Staff

  McCaffrey rushed nine times for 39 yards and caught two of four targets for 19 yards in Sunday's 22-19 win over the Buccaneers. McCaffrey and Carolina's offense as a whole struggled to get much going Sunday, but the rookie was once again handed more carries than starting tailback Jonathan Stewart. While that usage is reason for encouragement heading into next Sunday's finale versus the Falcons, so too is the fact that McCaffrey's season-high rushing output came against Atlanta in Week 9. In that game, he finished with 66 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and 28 receiving yards on five receptions.

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• Panthers' Christian McCaffrey: Scores while topping 125 total yards

  12/17/2017 • By RotoWire Staff

  McCaffrey rushed 12 times for 63 yards and caught six of seven targets for 73 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 31-24 win over the Packers. McCaffrey was a consistent thorn in the side of the Packers, as he not only approached his career-high rushing total, but also went for the second-most receiving yards of his rookie campaign. In doing so, McCaffrey hauled in a seven-yard touchdown on Carolina's opening drive, giving him five scores over his last six outings. While that has upped his fantasy impact, McCaffrey has also averaged an even five yards per carry during that stretch, making him more of a threat on the ground. Combined, those developments give fantasy owners a lot to like about McCaffrey heading into next Sunday's visit from the Buccaneers.

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