Right now, the San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey is the best running back in the NFL, and he doesn’t appear to be anywhere close to slowing down.
He won last season’s Offensive Player of the Year award by leading the league with 1,459 rushing yards and scoring 14 rushing touchdowns, and in doing so, he has earned plenty of recognition across the nation.
McCaffrey now has an opportunity to lead the NFL in rushing yards for a second straight season, something no one has done since Derrick Henry did so in 2019 and 2020, per NBC Sports.
No running back has led the NFL in rushing back-to-back years since Derrick Henry.
Will Christian McCaffrey change that in 2024? pic.twitter.com/OfeMWV3VOr
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 11, 2024
In 2020, Henry became the latest of a handful of NFL tailbacks to record at least 2,000 yards in a single season.
McCaffrey may never get there, and it may be better for the 49ers to trim his workload a bit rather than let him chase that mark, but he is still a truly unique player.
He is a dual-threat running back, but unlike most other dual-threat running backs, his ability as a pass-catcher isn’t limited to screen passes.
He can actually line up as a wide receiver, run routes, and even add yardage after the catch.
Last season, McCaffrey hauled in 67 passes and turned them into 564 yards and seven touchdowns, allowing him to lead the league in total yards and touchdowns from scrimmage.
The 49ers are a very potent and well-balanced offensive team, as they have two legitimate wide receiver threats in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and one of the two or three best tight ends around in George Kittle.
That talent helps make McCaffrey even more of a threat, as the team has a relatively unpredictable offense, preventing opposing defenses from loading up on McCaffrey.
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