Running Back · San Francisco 49ers · Age 30 · Stanford · RB5 Half-PPR (Week 4 2026)
Christian McCaffrey is ranked RB5 (overall #5) for the Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season in Half-PPR fantasy football by Hayden of The Underdog Football Show.
The "new normal" has solidified for McCaffrey, and it's really going to be okay for fantasy (RB7 on RB10 usage through 3 weeks). McCaffrey has handled every goal-line opportunity, while also being the RB3 in receptions per game (4.3). McCaffrey reportedly dealt with some cramps in Week 1 and has posted 17.2 and 15.4 expected half PPR points since then, leading to back-to-back top-5 fantasy weeks. He's losing between-the-20s carries to Kaelon Black to keep him relatively fresh, but those are the least valuable touches in fantasy. When it counts, CMC is getting the ball and is playing with extra horsepower on a per-touch basis to my eyes. More importantly, the 49ers' offense looks unstoppable and are missing even more skill players heading into Week 4. The matchup isn't ideal, but the Broncos' defense is best at stopping WR play than RB play with DT John Franklin-Meyers gone and EDGE2 Jonathon Cooper sidelined for alleged domestic abuse. Their LBs are their weak spot, and Kyle Shanahan will look at what Sean McVay did with Kyren Williams last week as a receiver to concoct a CMC-heavy plan here. Kenneth Walker and Bhayshul Tuten also broke infinite tackles against them in the first games. The 49ers are 9th in projected points, and this feels like the most they've needed to rely on their star running back heading into a game this season.
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Hayden is a fantasy football analyst for The Underdog Football Show, covering 2026 fantasy football with PPR and Half-PPR rankings, ADP comparisons, and weekly start/sit analysis. Rankings are updated regularly throughout the season. Hayden's "Best Bet" designations highlight players ranked higher than their ADP consensus, while "Fade" designations flag players the ranker believes are overvalued by the market.
By Hayden · The Underdog Football Show · Updated 2026-10-04