Vance Joseph Admits Broncos Have No Easy Answer for McCaffrey's Receiving
Denver's DC calls CMC a third-down nightmare out of the backfield. The RB1 caught 102 balls for 924 yards last season — good luck covering that.
He's the overall RB1 facing a defense that struggles with pass-catching backs.
- CMC is our #1 overall RB for 2026-27
- 102 catches, 924 rec yards in 2025
- 417 PPR pts across 17 games last season
- Broncos DC: CMC leads team in early-down receiving
- Form dip: -3.4 FPTS vs his own 2025 average last 5
When an opposing defensive coordinator starts a game week by calling you a Hall of Famer, it usually means he's run out of ideas. That's roughly where Denver's Vance Joseph landed this week, admitting that Christian McCaffrey is one of San Francisco's leading receivers on third down and that there's no clean way to scheme around covering a running back who moonlights as a slot threat.
The numbers back the panic. McCaffrey hauled in 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven scores last season (2025, actual, 17 games), on top of 1,202 rushing yards and 10 ground touchdowns — a 417 PPR point campaign that cemented him as our No. 1 overall back heading into 2026-27. Joseph noted that the 49ers scheme him into favorable matchups on purpose, and that it's on his unit to find the right calls to leverage him. Translation: he knows what's coming and still isn't sure he can stop it.
The Matchup Read
Here's the part fantasy managers should underline. Denver's defense has a well-documented history of getting torched by pass-catching backs and tight ends. Joseph tends to adjust and stabilize things by the second half, but that often means the damage is already done early. For a player whose receiving usage is the engine of his floor, that's about as soft a landing spot as a top back can draw.
The one caution flag: McCaffrey's recent form. Over his last five games he's running 3.4 fantasy points below his own 2025 season average, so this isn't the untouchable ceiling of years past. It's a dip, not a collapse — but if you've been nervously watching the usage, this is the week to stop worrying.
Don't Overthink Purdy
Brock Purdy sits as our QB23 (No. 81 overall) after a 179-point 2025 across just nine games (2,167 pass yards, 20 TD, 10 INT, plus 147 rushing yards and three scores). His last five outings have trended up, +3.7 fantasy points above his season average, and a game Denver expects to turn into a shootout only helps. He's a streamer with real upside here, not a must-start, but the matchup is friendly.
Bottom line: McCaffrey is a locked-in start, full stop. Facing a unit whose coordinator openly admits he can't fully account for CMC's receiving role, you ride the overall RB1 and don't blink at the recent form dip. If you're hunting a cheap QB this week, Purdy is a defensible flyer in the same plus matchup.
