Ought to 49ers have dominated out Christian McCaffrey sooner? Jordan Mason reveals he knew Friday he'd begin at RB

The NFL world acquired an enormous previous ‘quake that got here down Monday evening roughly an hour earlier than kickoff, with the information Christian McCaffrey, the reigning NFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months and fashionable No. 1 general fantasy draft decide, would not simply be restricted towards the Jets … he would not play in any respect. As a substitute, Jordan Mason — you might be asking “who?” however greatest ball bros and fantasy diehards know — was getting the beginning. 

It is the kind of information that despatched individuals scrambling to the waiver wire to repair their fantasy lineups, precipitated chaos amongst each sportsbook whereas they reset prop markets (paradoxically it solely moved the precise unfold some extent) and mainly replicated the identical pregame chaos we acquired Sunday with Tyreek Hill being arrested and Dak Prescott getting a contract extension within the span of 10 to fifteen minutes. 

However perhaps it did not need to be that method. Mason, within the wake of an unimaginable 28-carry, 147-yard, Wally Pipp-esque efficiency, joined ESPN’s Lisa Salters on the sphere for a postgame interview. Requested when he knew he’d be beginning, Mason offered a fairly revealing reply.

“Friday … perhaps Friday evening,” Mason mentioned with a little bit of reluctance. 

There’s loads to unpack right here. So let’s attempt to section it out a bit. 

Fantasy implications

There can be a LOT of individuals indignant about CMC not taking part in on this recreation and it probably being a factor as early as Friday, permitting individuals to maneuver their lineups in such a way that they had outs in case McCaffrey did not play. Should you do not assume individuals are indignant, you are not on-line sufficient. (Congrats to you.)

I am not going to submit any of the indignant tweets as a result of I will simply find yourself getting in bother, however there have been a LOT of people that observe 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 might argue should you 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 choice 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 general in our league might take him within the draft (sorry Eddies). Both method, do not assume something if a participant is restricted, even when discovering out Friday would have been way more useful. 

Did the 49ers do something incorrect? Extra on that in a second. First …

This half was wild to see reside. When the information dropped from the assorted 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 underneath 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 acquired good numbers on Mason within the second, and much more individuals who acquired good numbers on Mason early within the day. It is undoubtedly 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, properly, it wasn’t. However we undoubtedly can say he appeared like this within the preseason so it should not be stunning Shanny fed him. Particularly when the muse of this offense is constructed on operating backs who’ve been largely ignored however match the one-cut-and-go operating model that meshes so properly with Shanahan’s scheme. If Mason was in your waiver wire heading into Week 1, it’s good to be higher at fantasy and/or discover a sharper league. He ought to have been drafted in all places. 

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 high quality the 49ers?

I am to see how this performs out, and I do not assume you possibly can definitively give a solution. It is very 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 informed everybody that. 

Mason additionally did not say he was informed on Friday that McCaffrey could be out … he merely mentioned he came upon Friday he would — or perhaps MIGHT — begin Monday evening. 

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.

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 operating 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 immediately 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 fairly straightforward clarification for why issues went down they did, even when Mason’s reply Monday evening will not sit properly with individuals who have been immediately concerned within the CMC enterprise.