The top running back Christian McCaffrey was traded by the Carolina Panthers to the San Francisco 49ers, shocking the NFL community. Everyone is eager to see how McCaffrey will fit into the 49ers’ powerful attack now that he has joined, but the Panthers will need to figure out how to function without him. Now that the top running back is gone, it appears that D’Onta Foreman will be the first candidate to try his hand at filling in for him.
Prior to this deal, McCaffrey had been without a doubt Carolina’s premier running back, but Foreman actually had the second-highest number of carries. Foreman spent some time last season filling in for Derrick Henry with the Tennessee Titans, and when he receives touches, he has shown the ability to be a reliable running back.
Midway through the season is the ideal moment for fantasy football owners to potentially add a starting-caliber running back to their squads. However, will Foreman continue to be a solid fantasy option going forward? Let’s examine Foreman’s fantasy football prospects now that McCaffrey has been transferred to San Francisco in the west.
D’Onta Foreman’s fantasy football outlook
The Panthers signed Foreman in free agency as insurance in case something happened to McCaffrey. It was a good investment because McCaffrey had only participated in 10 games overall over the previous two seasons. McCaffrey played in the first six games of the season, but now that he’s not with the team, it appears that Foreman will get a significant increase in touches going forward.
Last year, Foreman showed that he can compete when given playing time. Last season, he averaged a respectable 4.3 yards per carry and had three games with over 100 yards of rushing. Foreman might develop into a very potent option at running back if he can accumulate the same kind of volume with the Panthers.
The issue is that Foreman might not wind up receiving every carry in the Panthers’ backfield. Chuba Hubbard, who substituted for McCaffrey last season, also looms as a player who could rob Foreman of totes, though he should still receive the majority of them. With McCaffrey holding down the fort, neither guy has accomplished anything, but that will quickly change.
In Week 7, D’Onta Foreman will probably start for Carolina, but if Hubbard performs well, head coach Steve Wilks is likely to give Hubbard more playing time than Foreman. Foreman is going to be a big risk for fantasy owners unless he shows he will receive the majority of the carries.
It’s also important to note how awful the Panthers offence is. Early in the season, McCaffrey had truly been their sole source of output, and that creates a significant gap in the offence going forward. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold are both currently out, so Carolina is down to PJ Walker as their backup quarterback after trading for Robbie Anderson earlier this week.
How much space will there be for Foreman to work with even if he receives the ball frequently? In Week 6’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, the passing game only managed 119 yards, which isn’t exactly going to relieve the load on the ground game. It’s also important to note that McCaffrey picked up 89 of those receiving yards on his own, which contributed significantly to his productivity. It would be an understatement to say that the Panthers’ situation is grave right now.
For the Panthers’ offence right now, someone will have to receive the ball, but that doesn’t guarantee they will be effective. D.J. Moore might be able to spark the passing game, but other from him, Carolina’s roster is devoid of true playmakers. When opposing defenders dare the Panthers to throw the ball, it will be difficult for the rushing game to find space.
Last year, Foreman was successful in a Titans offence that was built for the run game. Unfortunately, the Panthers’ offence is not constructed in the same way. Foreman’s fantasy prognosis doesn’t seem very promising when you add it to the possibility that he will be splitting carries with Hubbard behind him.
Foreman might be able to keep Carolina’s run game going, but for the time being, he doesn’t appear like a reliable fantasy football option. Picking him up off the waiver wire is a prudent move in case he breaks out, but betting on that breakout to occur doesn’t seem like a good idea. D’Onta Foreman is nothing more than a player you should hold on your bench in the hopes that he can shine in a bigger role with the Panthers until he establishes his dependability.
The article D’Onta Foreman’s outlook in fantasy football following the Christian McCaffrey trade with the Panthers first published on ClutchPoints.
