Christian McCaffrey vs Derrick Henry: Who Should You Start?
If you are choosing between Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry for your lineup, you are not alone. Christian McCaffrey finished the 2025 season at 21.5 PPG for the San Francisco 49ers (17 games), and Derrick Henry averaged 16.0 for the Baltimore Ravens (17 games).
That 5.5-point weekly advantage for Christian McCaffrey is meaningful but not automatic. Fantasy football is a week-to-week sport, and the answer to "who should I start" often changes based on opponent, recent form, and game environment. Season averages set the baseline; weekly context makes the call.
Christian McCaffrey is the receiving back in this matchup, turning 102 targets into 924 yards, while Derrick Henry profiles as a more traditional rusher with 1595 rushing yards and 16 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 9, and Derrick Henry rests in Week 14. 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.
