Christian McCaffrey and James Cook are two running backs whose teams are going in different directions. The San Francisco 49ers are struggling and out of the playoff picture in the NFC, while the Buffalo Bills are hunting for the first seed in the AFC.
In most fantasy football leagues, this will be the final week of the regular season, so picking the right running back would do wonders if you're in the fight for a postseason spot.
Is Christian McCaffrey a good pick in Week 13?
Since he returned to the field, McCaffrey's impact has been minimal, to say the least. He has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry in three games, with just 149 rushing yards total.
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Although he adds a lot of value through his receiving ability, three games without a single touchdown is a lot for a player of his caliber. Everybody knows how much value he adds, but with the 49ers' offense struggling, scoring just 27 points over the past two games, running the ball has not been an easy thing to do.
Is James Cook a good pick in Week 13?
On the other hand, the Bills' offense is humming, with James Cook registering 0.9 yards per carry, more than his 49ers' counterpart on average. However, Joe Brady's scheme is much more pass-heavy than Kyle Shanahan's, and this does diminish Cook's value a bit.
Cook has one game with over 100 rushing yards and has added 11 total touchdowns this season. The expectation is that, with the 49ers struggling to defend the pass, Allen will throw the ball a lot during Sunday Night Football.
Whom should I start between Christian McCaffrey and James Cook in Week 13?
It might come as a surprise, but our Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer has no doubts that the 49ers' superstar is the best pick for Week 13, as he is a bigger piece of the puzzle for his contribution to the running game.
With Brandon Aiyuk out for the season, and Brock Purdy possibly out for the game, this offense could lean on McCaffrey a lot on Sunday, giving his projection an advantage due to volume.
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