Running Back Utilization For Fantasy Football: Christian McCaffrey, James Cook, And More
Dwain McFarland dives deep into running back utilization, looking hard at players whose overall workloads show they're an integral part of their offenses.
Is Christian McCaffrey injury prone? Fantasy managers asked themselves that very question after he played a combined 10 games in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, only to see him play all but one game—when he rested Week 18 in 2023—and posted RB2 and RB1 finishes in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, respectively. Then he battled an Achilles injury the following training camp, which delayed the start to his season and a subsequent knee injury ended his 2024 season after just four games. But with a healthy training camp, are we ready to jump on board in an offensive environment where he would again be the focal point, even at age 29?
Utilization is as important at the running back position as any other. When a player posts a 95 UR score in a season with 2,023 scrimmage and 21 TDs like McCaffrey in 2023, even after an injury-marred season this player has to be considered a direct threat to Saquon Barkley for the RB1 throne. CMC is far from the only player who deserves a look under the Utilization hood going into the 2025 season.
Christian McCaffrey | 49ers
McCaffrey played only three complete games last season, but the coaching staff didn't hesitate to load him up with his old workload.
- Utilization Score: 87 of 100
- Snaps: 88%
- Attempts: 66%
- Routes: 78%
- Targets: 19%
Yes, McCaffrey will be 29 this year, but if he gets anywhere near that workload in 2025, he is going to score gobs of fantasy points. Jordan Mason is gone, and while Isaac Guerendo offered some memorable moments, the breadth of his skillset doesn't parallel McCaffrey's.
Remember how well Alvin Kamara played last season (age 29) before the Saints were decimated by injuries? If not, let me jog your memory: he averaged 23.8 points with a 96 Utilization Score over the first five weeks before Carr's first injury. Elite pass-catching backs have a way of holding off Father Time, and CMC certainly qualifies.
Takeaway: Early drafters are balancing McCaffrey's risk profile and upside fairly as a late Round 1 pick. No one wants to relive CMC's 2024 season, but we must acknowledge that if he runs hot, he has the skillset—even at nearing 30—to finish as the top scorer in fantasy.
James Cook | Bills
Cook finished the season with 16.8 points per game, 4.5 points higher than players with a similar Utilization Score (65 of 100) since 2020. In 2023, Cook averaged 13.9 points per game with a stronger Utilization Score of 68. His utilization declined in almost every meaningful category except attempts inside the 5-yard line.
- Utilization Score: 68 → 65
- Snaps: 55% → 48%
- Attempts: 46% → 46%
- Attempts inside the 5-yard line: 15% → 48%
- Routes: 47% → 40%
- Targets: 10% → 8%
Thanks to his newfound role inside the 5-yard line, Cook ranked 15th in rushing attempts per game (0.9) from in close. His rushing touchdowns exploded from 2 to 16. In his first two seasons, Cook scored a TD on 2% and 1% of his attempts—a far cry from his outlier 8% season in 2024.
While we want to target explosive backs on high-scoring offenses, Cook will need to expand his role to offset the likely TD regression he will face in 2025. Touchdowns are one of the highest variance events in fantasy, and we could easily see the fourth-year back crash back to earth.
Takeaway: Cook is due for negative regression—his two-year Utilization profile aligns with low-end RB2s to high-end RB3s. His early best ball average draft position is RB14. If he signs a massive contract extension that could incentivize the team to get more out of him, that would help. But for now, he is slightly overpriced.
Breece Hall | Jets
Despite the integration of Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis into the offense, Breece Hall remained the clear-cut RB1 for the Jets in 2024. He garnered an 83 Utilization Score, handling 73% of the snaps, 61% of the attempts, and notched a 61% route participation with a 14% target share. All high-leverage snaps in the two-minute offense (95%) and attempts inside the 5-yard line (80%) also flowed through Hall.
We have a new coaching staff led by Aaron Glenn, which leaves the door open for a shakeup, but Hall is only 24 and offers the most complete skillset on the team. If he can wrangle a similar role in 2024, we should expect better results.
Hall's closest comps from last year all fared better.
- Jonathan Taylor: 84 Utilization Score, 17.6 points per game
- Kyren Williams: 84 Utilization Score, 17.1 points per game
- Kenneth Walker: 83 Utilization Score, 16.5 points per game
- De'Von Achane: 82 Utilization Score, 17.6 points per game
- Joe Mixon: 81 Utilization Score, 17.3 points per game
Takeaway: Drafters are fatigued by Hall and concerns about a backfield shakeup under the new coaching staff, which is pushing him to Round 3 in drafts. Hall's situation has red flags, but if you still believe in his talent profile, he is worth targeting.
Chuba Hubbard | Panthers
With Jonathon Brooks (ACL) likely to miss all of the 2025 season, Hubbard is set to lead the Panthers' backfield after signing a four-year, $33 million contract extension last year. Rico Dowdle will operate as the No. 2 and try to pry away touches from Hubbard, but last season, in a similar scenario, Hubbard commanded the fourth-best Utilization Score (85) and averaged 16.4 points per game.
While some consider Hubbard a risky profile due to a lack of talent, the Panthers gave him a massive vote of confidence with a $33 million contract *before* the Brooks injury. Additionally, the 26-year-old back posted career highs in yards after contact (3.5) and missed tackles forced (20%)—both above the NFL average—behind a revamped offensive line in 2024.
He isn't an elite receiving back, but he has the talent to stay on the field all three downs. Last season, he notched a 12% target share on a 61% route participation and was the Panthers' preferred option in the two-minute offense (82%).
Takeaway: Hubbard isn't a priority target, but his Round 5 price in early best ball drafts is reasonable. Given his age, new contract, and backfield competition, there is a path to another top-12 campaign for Hubbard.
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