Christian McCaffrey vs Michael Carter: Who Should You Start?
Christian McCaffrey and Michael Carter are at different tiers heading into 2026. The San Francisco 49ers running back averaged 21.5 PPG in 2025, a full 15.2 points per game ahead of Michael Carter's 6.3 with the Arizona Cardinals. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
The per-game difference of 15.2 points favors Christian McCaffrey, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one running back to the other.
Christian McCaffrey is the receiving back in this matchup, turning 102 targets into 924 yards, while Michael Carter profiles as a more traditional rusher with 333 rushing yards and 1 touchdowns. In PPR and half-PPR formats Christian McCaffrey carries the higher weekly floor. In standard leagues the gap tightens considerably.
Christian McCaffrey has his bye in Week 14, and Michael Carter rests in Week 8. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
