Christian McCaffrey, Kyler Murray NFL Injury Statuses, Fantasy Impact for Week 9

At long last, Christian McCaffrey is close to being back on an NFL field.

The Carolina Panthers running back could make his first game appearance since Week 3 after dealing with a hamstring injury. 

Carolina head coach Matt Rhule confirmed Friday that the team is hopeful McCaffrey will be ready to play in Sunday's Week 9 clash with the New England Patriots, per The Athletic's Joseph Person.

The Panthers have used Chuba Hubbard in McCaffrey's spot. The rookie could still be a valuable No. 2 running back or flex option in fantasy football lineups depending on how often McCaffrey is used against New England. 

The prognosis on Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is not as promising as of Friday afternoon. Murray and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins are considered game-time decisions for the clash with the San Francisco 49ers, per 98.7 Arizona Sports' Tyler Drake. 

Below is a look at the rest of the injuries affecting fantasy football teams ahead of the Week 9 slate. 

• DeAndre Hopkins, WR, ARI: Game-time decision (hamstring)
• Kyler Murray, QB, ARI: Game-time decision (ankle)
• Sam Darnold, QB, CAR: Questionable (concussion/shoulder)
• Christian McCaffrey, RB, CAR: Hopeful to play (hamstring)
• Amari Cooper, WR, DAL: Questionable (hamstring), per team injury report. 
• CeeDee Lamb, WR, DAL: Questionable (ankle)
• Davante Adams, WR, GB: Playing (Out of COVID-19 protocols)
• James Robinson, RB, JAX: Questionable (heel), per team injury report. 
• Saquon Barkley, RB, NYG: Out (ankle), per team injury report.
• Kadarius Toney, WR, NYG: Questionable (thumb)
• Sterling Shepard, WR, NYG: Out (quad)
• George Kittle, TE, SF: Activated for Sunday (calf), per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
• Elijah Mitchell, RB, SF: Questionable (ribs), per team injury report
• A.J. Brown, WR, TEN: Questionable (knee), per ESPN's Field Yates 

Carolina "Hopeful" of Christian McCaffrey's Return

Rhule delivered one of the most promising updates so far involving McCaffrey on Friday. 

The star running back has been plagued by his hamstring injury since the Week 3 Thursday night game against the Houston Texans. 

McCaffrey's absence has been felt in the fantasy football world since he was the No. 1 overall pick in many drafts. We all know how much of an impact McCaffrey makes when he is healthy, but it is understandable to be a bit cautious about his production if he does play.

As Person noted in his report, the Panthers need to activate McCaffrey from the injured reserve by Saturday for him to eligible to face the Patriots. 

If McCaffrey plays, you have to assume that he will in line for a large number of snaps. but be wary that Carolina trusts Hubbard and that the Oklahoma State product will play some type of role Sunday. 

New England has allowed the fourth-most receiving yards to running backs in the NFL. That is a promising sign for anyone welcoming back McCaffrey or for someone who has Hubbard as a depth back. 

McCaffrey's usage will undoubtedly grow in the coming weeks, but if he plays Sunday, expect some time of split between him and Hubbard as he eases back into game play.

Kyler Murray Listed as Game-Time Decision

The game-time designation given to Kyler Murray could leave fantasy football managers with an uneasy feeling. 

The Cardinals play in the 4 p.m. ET window, so one will not know until the middle of the early afternoon games if he will play or not. Basically, you have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best with your quarterback situation if Murray is on your roster. 

Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury talked about his team's approach with Murray to the team's official website. 

"He's progressing; we'll see how he feels Sunday and go from there," Kingsbury said. "I know he wants to play. He understands how important a division game is and is playing at a really high level. We're not going to put him out there unless he can function. He wants to play. We'll see."

Colt McCoy is Murray's backup, but if he plays, the Cardinals will likely try to use their two-pronged rushing attack to beat San Francisco. 

Justin Fields is probably the best insurance option on the waiver wire for Murray. The Chicago Bears do not play until Monday night, so you would not be forced into a decision whether to start Murray or a fantasy backup in the 1 p.m. ET window. 

Jordan Love is the only quarterback in the late window that could be a game-day addition. Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo play in the late afternoon window, while Ryan Tannehill and Matthew Stafford play Sunday night. 

If Murray plays, there could be some concern about starting him because of his ankle. If he is hampered by the injury, look for James Conner and Chase Edmonds to gain more responsibilities out of the backfield and for Zach Ertz to thrive in the short passing game. 

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.