The NFL world obtained an enormous outdated ‘quake that got here down Monday night time roughly an hour earlier than kickoff, with the information Christian McCaffrey, the reigning NFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months and standard No. 1 total fantasy draft choose, would not simply be restricted in opposition to the Jets … he would not play in any respect. As an alternative, Jordan Mason — you may be asking “who?” however finest ball bros and fantasy diehards know — was getting the beginning.
It is the form of information that despatched folks scrambling to the waiver wire to repair their fantasy lineups, precipitated chaos amongst each sportsbook whereas they reset prop markets (satirically it solely moved the precise unfold a degree) and principally replicated the identical pregame chaos we obtained Sunday with Tyreek Hill being arrested and Dak Prescott getting a contract extension within the span of 10 to fifteen minutes.
However possibly it did not should be that means. Mason, within the wake of an unimaginable 28-carry, 147-yard, Wally Pipp-esque efficiency, joined ESPN’s Lisa Salters on the sector for a postgame interview. Requested when he knew he’d be beginning, Mason offered a reasonably revealing reply.
“Friday … possibly Friday night time,” Mason mentioned with a little bit of reluctance.
There’s rather a lot to unpack right here. So let’s try to section it out a bit.
Fantasy implications
There can be a LOT of individuals offended about CMC not taking part in on this recreation and it presumably being a factor as early as Friday, permitting folks to maneuver their lineups in such a way they’d outs in case McCaffrey did not play. When you do not suppose persons are offended, you are not on-line sufficient. (Congrats to you.)
I am not going to put up any of the offended tweets as a result of I am going to simply find yourself getting in bother, however there have been a LOT of people that comply with the NFL carefully that discovered themselves stunned by the revelation.
You get the gist. The CMC information despatched me rapid-fire texting group chats when it dropped. The scramble in DFS and common fantasy was actual. I’d argue if you happen to had CMC and he was restricted you wanted to do two issues: 1) transfer him into your flex spot as a result of he was the final recreation of the week and a pair of) put together your self accordingly with an possibility to slip in ought to McCaffrey find yourself being tremendous restricted or not taking part in.
Or do what I did and snipe Jordan Mason earlier than the man drafting first total in our league may take him within the draft (sorry Eddies). Both means, do not assume something if a participant is proscribed, even when discovering out Friday would have been way more useful.
Did the 49ers do something unsuitable? Extra on that in a second. First …
This half was wild to see reside. When the information dropped from the varied NFL Media insiders first, I attempted to hit up a authorized sportsbook and hammer Mason overs (keep in mind, CMC props can be voided, so all the time hit over on the substitute and never below on the man who will not play). No such luck, because the books had moved too rapidly to get something in.
However there have been loads of individuals who obtained good numbers on Mason within the second, and much more individuals who obtained good numbers on Mason early within the day. It is positively a studying lesson for one thing like that … creep on the worth early and hope you get some excellent news.
The numbers moved like loopy, although. At one level, Mason’s carries have been lined round 13.5 and his whole dashing and receiving yards have been listed at round 77.5 or 78.5. He blew that out of the water, largely as a result of Kyle Shanahan turned him into THE GUY on this recreation and he responded accordingly.
We won’t say this was apparent as a result of, nicely, it wasn’t. However we positively can say he appeared like this within the preseason so it should not be stunning Shanny fed him. Particularly when the inspiration of this offense is constructed on working backs who’ve been largely neglected however match the one-cut-and-go working model that meshes so nicely with Shanahan’s scheme. If Mason was in your waiver wire heading into Week 1, you could be higher at fantasy and/or discover a sharper league. He ought to have been drafted all over the place.
His worth for an anytime landing closed at +550, which is hilariously low for a man who won’t have gotten greater than 5 carries till McCaffrey was dominated out.
Lengthy story brief, it is a good lesson for betting pregame.
Will the NFL nice the 49ers?
I am to see how this performs out, and I do not suppose you’ll be able to definitively give a solution. It’s totally clear the 49ers downplayed the extent of McCaffrey’s damage, and it is not a stretch to say they toed the road on how they dealt with the damage report.
However McCaffrey was ON the damage report. And he was restricted. They instructed everybody that.
Mason additionally did not say he was instructed on Friday that McCaffrey can be out … he merely mentioned he discovered Friday he would — or possibly MIGHT — begin Monday night time.
The 49ers can fairly simply inform the league they listed McCaffrey as restricted all week and listed him as questionable main into the sport. Which is strictly what they did.
by way of 49ers.com
McCaffrey went out, examined his calf, it did not really feel proper and the 49ers, as defending NFC champs, determined they should not push it with their famous person working again.
The sport bore out their prudence with Mason dominating, the 49ers crushing the Jets and CMC not being essential.
If the league feels prefer it must set a precedent right here, I would not have an issue with it. There’s a ton of cash at stake on a number of platforms, all of that are carefully related and/or straight partnered with the NFL. Transparency is best and the NFL hasn’t been nice about it over the course of the final 5 years.
However the Niners have a reasonably straightforward clarification for why issues went down they did, even when Mason’s reply Monday night time will not sit nicely with individuals who have been straight concerned within the CMC enterprise.