The San Francisco 49ers were already an elite team with an explosive offense, so trading for Christian McCaffrey was a cherry on top.
Then again, the former Carolina Panthers star hasn’t been just another of their many weapons.
Instead, he’s made sure to make an immediate impact, already ranking among the franchise’s leaders in terms of the best seasons ever had by a Niner.
That’s why, as of now, NFL analyst Mike Greenberg believes he should be the leading MVP candidate (via Get Up).
Christian McCaffrey has @Espngreeny‘s MVP vote ✍️ Who are you taking? pic.twitter.com/uxu3I4RIFi
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 21, 2023
McCaffrey has 20 total touchdowns in 14 games this season, 13 rushing and seven in the air.
His presence there allows the Niners to deploy so many different combinations and lineups, not to mention all the motion and in-line adjustments.
He’s as efficient with his arms as he is with his feet, and he’s established himself as the best running back in the game by a significant margin for the past couple of years now.
Unfortunately for him, the MVP award has gone almost exclusively to MVPs, with Adrian Peterson being the last non-QB to take home that distinction in 2012.
As of now, Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott, and Jalen Hurts are leading the MVP race, even though none of them has been as impactful as McCaffrey, which is a lot to say.
The only silver lining is that if he doesn’t win the MVP award as he should, he’s most likely going to run away with the league’s Offensive Player of the Year honors, which is the least they could do for him after piling up almost 2,000 combined yards with three weeks still left in the season.
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Nick Wright Details Why NFC QB Is Likely To Win The MVP Award