Christian McCaffrey vs Tyjae Spears: Who Should You Start?
Christian McCaffrey and Tyjae Spears are at different tiers heading into 2026. The San Francisco 49ers running back averaged 21.5 PPG in 2025, a full 14.6 points per game ahead of Tyjae Spears's 6.9 with the Tennessee Titans. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
A 14.6-PPG gap gives Christian McCaffrey the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Both are three-down backs with real passing-game roles. Christian McCaffrey caught 102 balls for 924 yards, and Tyjae Spears hauled in 45 for 264. That receiving workload gives them high PPR floors even in games where the ground attack gets stuffed, and it is why both stay on the field in obvious passing situations.
Christian McCaffrey has his bye in Week 9, and Tyjae Spears rests in Week 5. 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.
