The 49ers traded for Brian Robinson Jr. ($5,800) from the Washington Commanders this preseason, and the plan was for him to serve as the primary backup behind Christian McCaffrey ($7,300). At the time, the move seemed like smart insurance, but it may pay off in a big way earlier than the team hoped, since McCaffrey is now dealing with a calf injury.
McCaffrey has proven to be an absolute fantasy stud when he’s healthy and at his best, so fantasy football managers always keep a close eye on him. He was fully healthy all training camp but did not participate in preseason, as is typical for many veteran running backs.
Christian McCaffrey Injury Update
Everyone is especially jumpy after last year, when McCaffrey wasn’t expected to miss any time coming into Week 1, but ultimately missed the first nine weeks of the season. CMC did eventually return for four games before again sustaining an injury and being sidelined for the remainder of the year.
In 2023, he had 1,459 rushing yards, 564 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns; but in 2024, he only finished with 202 rushing yards and 146 receiving yards without a touchdown. Most fantasy managers invested an early-round pick in him for season-long leagues, hoping for a bounce-back year.
That’s still on the table as a possibility, since NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero says that there are no “alarm bells going off about Christian McCaffrey at this point. If there is any player you are going to take precautions with, if he feels something in practice, it’s the guy who is arguably your best player.”
McCaffrey could still play this week, and he could even return to a full practice on Friday or Saturday. If he does miss the game, does his absence make Brian Robinson Jr. a must-play?
Brian Robinson Jr. Fantasy Football Outlook
Robinson was someone the 49ers thought could be a good complement to McCaffrey and a solid backup. Here’s what coach Kyle Shanahan said about the acquisition at the time:
If Robinson starts on Sunday against the Seahawks, or even if he just gets extra work in Shanahan’s running back friendly system, he’ll have an excellent ceiling for a bargain play at only $5,800 in DraftKings Week 1 contests like the NFL $3.5M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st].
Robinson has 22 touchdowns in his 41 NFL games over the last three years, racking up over 700 yards on the ground each year. Crucially, he also comes into the year healthy.
Last year, Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo ($5,300) each stepped up and had success in this system, but Mason is now with the Vikings, who play on Monday Night Football, and Guerendo struggled this preseason with a shoulder injury and is clearly behind Robinson on the depth chart.
The Bottom Line
If CMC is out, Robinson will be an excellent DraftKings play at this salary with solid RB2 potential for season-long leagues. The Seahawks were a mid-level defense against the run last year, but the 49ers’ offense is good enough on the ground to still make whoever gets the playing time an elite option.
