Jordan Mason, Tank Bigsby, Fantasy Waiver-Wire RBs Amid Christian McCaffrey Injury | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats & Rumors

Christian McCaffrey will miss the San Francisco 49ers’ season opener against the New York Jets on Monday night with a calf injury, a news that likely caused confusion among the fantasy players who drafted him.

Should his injury persist, which players could you add to your roster via waivers this week?

Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers

The most obvious choice for desperate fantasy players is McCaffrey’s backup and natural handcuff: Mason.

The backfield splits in Week 1 in Jacksonville were fascinating. Both Bigsby and Travis Etienne Jr. rushed exactly 12 times against the Miami Dolphins, with Bigsby converting those looks into 73 yards, while Etienne had 44 yards, a touchdown and a fumble. He also caught two passes for 15 yards and cut out Bigsby 37-17.

History would suggest that despite Sunday’s split, Etienne will remain the best option in Jacksonville. He had 267 carries last season compared to Bigsby’s 50, and on Sunday Bigsby held a 5-3 advantage in touches after Etienne’s fumble.

Still, Bigsby is a player worth including in the squad. If Etienne struggles to hold the rock, Bigsby could turn it into a real timeshare. He certainly made the most of his touches on Sunday.

Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Irving remains a popular choice to replace Rachaad White this season, though the veteran outscored Irving 21-11 on Sunday and averaged 16.6 fantasy points in PPR leagues, compared to Irving’s 9.6.

Irving is probably more of a long-range play, though the fact that White only managed to post 31 yards on 15 carries did little to dispel the belief that he’s simply not an efficient runner. Irving, on the other hand, turned his nine carries into 62 yards. This remains a situation worth keeping a close eye on.

Jaleel McLaughlin, RB, Denver Broncos

McLaughlin had more touches than Javonte Williams in Week 1, by a 15-9 margin. However, he only converted his 10 carries into 27 yards and somehow managed just one yard on five receptions.