Christian McCaffrey Fantasy Outlook 2025: Is 49ers RB a safe pick amid return from Achilles and PCL injuries?

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been one of the best players in both actual football and fantasy football since entering the league in 2017. In seasons where he has been healthy, McCaffrey has rarely missed a game and has PPR finishes as the RB10, the RB2, the RB1, the RB2 and the RB1.

However, McCaffrey has also struggled with injuries throughout his career. While some players may miss only a few games due to injury, McCaffrey's injuries have tended to fall on the more serious and long-term side of things when he has sustained them. The star running back has had three injury-ruined seasons (3 games played (GP), seven GP and four GP), where he has fantasy finishes as the RB53, the RB38 and the RB68.

As a result, there are legitimate questions about what version of McCaffrey fantasy football managers are getting each year. What makes the situation even more difficult for managers is the fact that McCaffrey is consistently being projected as a top ten, and at times, the No. 1 overall pick in drafts.

2025 appears to be an anomaly as McCaffrey is being projected as a second-round pick in fantasy drafts this summer. Fantasy Pros has McCaffrey ranked as the RB4 and the No. 13 overall player available in the draft, a position that likely translates to near the end of the first round or the start of the second round of your draft.

Christian McCaffrey Fantasy Outlook amid injury concerns

McCaffrey is arguably the best player in the NFL when he is healthy, and he would likely be drafted in fantasy football as a top overall option yearly. However, his injury concerns cannot be overlooked, especially after 2024. McCaffrey's Achilles tendonitis is something that can linger, and there are questions about whether his knee injury could impact his long-term agility and dynamic rushing abilities.

As a result, selecting McCaffrey is a risky decision and could likely impact whether you have a winning or a losing fantasy team in 2025, given that he will likely be your first or second pick. Other safer options at a slightly lower draft price may be Las Vegas Raiders Ashton Jeanty, Miami Dolphins De'Von Achane and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Bucky Irving.

While it generally is not smart to select the 'safer pick' solely regarding injuries, as they can happen to any player, McCaffrey's extremely high draft price and serious injury history may be 2025's exception to the rule. McCaffrey will likely be the riskiest pick of your draft this summer but he is a high-end RB1 for fantasy purposes and has an easy path to the overall RB1 role.