Should we be more worried about Rachaad White’s volume in 2024?

In today’s Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by FantasyLife+:

If you Rachaad White Because of his volume, it was an ulcer to hear Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles talk about using the backfield. White had 336 touches last season and only Christian McCaffrey had more with 339.

The offensive coordinator who hired White last season, Dave Canales, left to coach Carolina, and Liam Coen took over as offensive coordinator. White had no competition for touches last season, and Tampa Bay chose Bucky Irving in the fourth round of the draft this year.

Based on Bowles’ comments, it may be premature to assume White will get the same workload. He said: “It’s a game-by-game decision. Usually you bet on the good hand.”

White was one of the least efficient running backs in the NFL last season, averaging 3.6 yards per carry and was aided by 64 passes caught in PPR formats.

While these comments don’t mean it’s over for White, they’re not the words you want to hear about a running back who depends on his volume. Before you panic, Coen said White is the one.

Whatever the case, Arizona offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s comments are exactly what you want to hear James Conneror the confidence that Giants coach Brian Daboll has in Devin Singletary.

Those who have White on the roster will be watching closely in Week 1. Those who have Irving on the bench are starting to grin.

What’s in today’s newsletter?

Injury overview: Important updates on important fantasy players
Water cooler: Remarkable TE deployment from Baltimore at TNF …

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Fantasy Football Injuries to Watch for in Week 1

from Jorge Martin

It’s time to talk about injuries. Whether you follow the NFL and fantasy football year-round or just got into it when training camp began in late July, there were some injuries from last season to keep an eye on, like Jonathon Brooks Return after a cruciate ligament tear in November.

Others, like Christian McCaffreyThe calf injury occurred during the preseason when there was not much information available.

Some even need to be monitored early in the season, which brings us here. Before joining Fantasy Life, I co-hosted the Injury (PRO)ne Podcast with Dr. Edwin Porras. What I learned from Porras is that players are not prone to injury, they just play a brutal game that leads to a lot of, well, injuries.

It is also important to keep an eye on a player’s injury history, as one injury can make the player more susceptible to the same type of injury in the future.

So each week this space will be populated with fantasy-specific injury information — there might be a quote or two from Porras from time to time — heading into the weekend’s games, with start/sit recommendations for fantasy managers who may be faltering. Or they just need confirmation that a player will start and perform on their fantasy teams. The information remains the same, so let’s start with a player who topped so many draft boards before this season.

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

CMC sat out two weeks of training camp with the team citing a calf/Achilles injury. Before this news broke, the 2023 RB1 was ranked No. 1/1 in almost all fantasy drafts. Last year, he sat out a meaningless game in Week 18 due to a reported calf injury, but then managed 460 scrimmage yards and 5 TDs in three postseason games.

The two-week off during the preseason was consistent with what Porras found in his previous research. Fantasy managers weren’t fazed, McCaffrey returned to practice this week and wasn’t expected to play in the preseason anyway.

Start/seat recommendation: CMC was the consensus 1.01 for a reason and should be in every fantasy lineup as long as he is active.

Keenan AllenChicago Bears

The Bears’ talented receiver trio of Allen, DJ MooreAnd Rome Odunze could be something special if Rookie Caleb Williams lives up to the hype. Allen landed on the injury report with a heel injury that requires special attention since he missed four games last season with the same injury.

Allen’s injury history and his age (32) are warning signs, but look for Friday’s practice report to see if he can fully participate.

Start/seat recommendation: Allen was drafted as the WR32, so fantasy managers have him projected as a starter. At least as a flex play. The Titans come to Soldier Field with a revamped secondary that allowed 245 passing yards/game last year. If he’s active, get him in your fantasy lineup, at least as a flex play.

Five more injuries to keep an eye on