Who is Christian McCaffrey’s handcuff? Those drafting the Carolina Panthers running back will probably want to have his backup on speed dial. That is because McCaffrey has managed to play in 13 out of a possible 33 games over the past two seasons. His upside is massive. The risk involved with taking him is incredibly high.
Christian McCaffrey’s handcuff is Chuba Hubbard. While his exploits at Oklahoma State were legendary, the former Cowboy did not impress last season when CMC missed time. Of course, it is impossible to know just how much of that was Hubbard’s fault given how bad the Panthers were offensively in 2021.
Behind Hubbard, or perhaps alongside him, is D’Onta Foreman who Carolina signed to bolster their running back depth. His numbers with the Titans last season look solid on the surface, but it is important to remember that had as much to do with system as talent. Any back with a pulse (sorry Adrian Peterson) can post decent numbers in Tennessee. Dontrell Hilliard was actually better than Foreman in terms of yards per carry.
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Is Christian McCaffrey’s handcuff worth stashing?
Christian McCaffrey’s handcuff must be stashed just based on the starter’s injury history. They won’t have any standalone value in fantasy football this season, but the volume alone if CMC does miss time is worth the roster spot.
Also, don’t fall for the Foreman hype. While he would likely see some carries should McCaffrey be unavailable, the former Titan is a dime-a-dozen plodder with little upside. There is a reason Tennessee let him go and why the Panthers were able to sign him for next to nothing. Hubbard is the handcuff to own in Carolina.
It should be noted that Hubbard was actually solid when McCaffrey first went down. He averaged more than four yards per carry to go with multiple receptions each game. Unfortunately, his performance declined as the Panthers’ quarterback situation deteriorated into the NFL’s worst.
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