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It’s been 11 years since a running back like Christian McCaffrey last won the Associated Press National Football League Most Valuable Player Award. That year, Adrian Peterson recovered from an ACL injury to become the seventh player in NFL history with 2,000 rushing yards in a season.
In 2023, McCaffrey could follow Peterson’s path and become MVP. However, other voters are building strong cases for Lamar Jackson and Tyreek Hill. But here’s why the former Stanford standout will break the ten-year streak of quarterbacks winning the league’s highest individual honor.
Why Christian McCaffrey deserves to become the 2023 NFL MVP
The other top candidates have solid credentials for becoming NFL MVP. Lamar Jackson has improved his completion percentage and touchdown-to-interception ratio compared to his numbers last season. He also stamped his class with a masterful performance during their Week 16 Monday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers.
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Meanwhile, Tyreek Hill has 106 catches for 1,641 yards and 12 touchdowns as of Week 16. He has eight 100-yard games this season, including the Miami Dolphins season opener, wherein he had 11 receptions for 215 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers.
While Jackson and Hill have legitimate claims for the 2023 MVP, Christian McCaffrey is the rightful winner because of these reasons.
1) His versatility allows everyone on offense to thrive
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan has creatively used McCaffrey during pre-snap formations, creating mismatches and dilemmas among opposing defenders. Aside from being the team’s premier running back, he’s also playing like a WR2 in fantasy football terms.
Because the defense must mark his presence in every snap, it creates favorable coverages for Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle. Through Week 16, Aiyuk is already over 1,200 yards, while Kittle needs just nine yards to have his third 1,000-yard season. Meanwhile, Samuel has 834 yards despite missing two games.
While those players are all talented, playing football is easier when they line up alongside an explosive threat like Christian McCaffrey.
2) The 49ers offense wins and scores with him
San Francisco is 21-3 with McCaffrey as their starting running back. That number includes their 11-3 mark this season. Since winning involves scoring points, the two-time Pro Bowler helps his team put points on the board in different ways.
He has 21 touchdowns (14 receiving) with two regular season games left. More importantly, Christian McCaffrey scored a touchdown in all but two of the games he played in 2023. His contributions helped the Niners become the third-best scoring team, averaging 29.6 points per game. They are also fourth in rushing yards per game at 138.7.
3) Christian McCaffrey is the undisputed running backs king this season
Before Week 17, McCaffrey leads the league in rushing attempts (258) and rushing yards (1,395). Meanwhile, he is third in rushing touchdowns (14) behind Raheem Mostert and Jalen Hurts. However, Hurts gets most of his scores on short-yardage situations, primarily through what became known as the “Brotherly Shove.”
Meanwhile, McCaffrey’s 21 touchdowns from scrimmage lead the league. His 537 receiving yards also tops all running backs, with Rachaad White in second place with 507. McCaffrey also paces the NFL in rushing first downs (78) and yards per carry among RBs with at least 200 rushing attempts. Talk about being valuable.
4) The 49ers falter when his run game struggles
In the first of three consecutive losses during the middle of the season, Christian McCaffrey finished with 43 rushing yards against the Cleveland Browns. He followed that up with 45 yards versus the Minnesota Vikings and 54 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Coincidentally, the 49ers scored 17 points in each of those losses. That’s half of their 34-point average during their 11 victories. The Niners are lost if he’s not pacing them on the ground. Conversely, they’ve won six of seven games wherein McCaffrey tallied 100 rushing yards.
5) McCaffrey performed well during the 49ers’ toughest test
Much has been said about Purdy’s MVP chances before that four-interception Week 16 MNF disaster against the AFC-leading Baltimore Ravens. What was billed as a seismic showdown and a potential Super Bowl LVIII preview became a one-sided affair for Jackson and the Ravens.
Conversely, Christian McCaffrey had a solid performance despite Purdy’s struggles. The three-time All-Pro running back collected 103 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries with six catches for 28 yards. His rushing score helped San Francisco stay in the game until all hell broke loose for the 49ers.
