A running back like Christian McCaffrey hasn’t taken home the Associated Press National Football League Most Valuable Player Award in eleven years. Adrian Peterson became the seventh player in NFL history to record 2,000 running yards in a season that year after bouncing back from an ACL injury.
McCaffrey might follow in Peterson’s footsteps in 2023 and win MVP. Some voters, though, are making compelling arguments in favor of Tyreek Hill and Lamar Jackson. Here’s why, though, the former great quarterback from Stanford will end the ten-year quarterback winning streak for the league’s top individual honor.
Reasons why Christian McCaffrey should win the NFL MVP award in 2023
The other front-runners are well-qualified to win NFL MVP. Compared to his statistics from the previous season, Lamar Jackson has increased his completion % and touchdown-to-interception ratio. In addition, he dazzled his classmates with a brilliant performance during their Monday Night Football matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16.
As of Week 16, Tyreek Hill has 106 receptions for 1,641 yards and 12 touchdowns. This season, he has eight games with 100 yards or more. Against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Miami Dolphins’ season opener, he recorded 11 receptions for 215 yards.
Christian McCaffrey is the deserving recipient of the 2023 MVP award, although Jackson and Hill have strong arguments.
1) His adaptability makes it possible for everyone to score well.
Head coach of the Niners Kyle Shanahan has used McCaffrey ingeniously to cause mismatches and problems for opposing defenders during pre-snap sets. In addition to being the team’s best running back, he’s performing like a WR2 in fantasy football.
Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle benefit from advantageous coverages created by the defender having to mark his presence on every snap. Aiyuk has already accumulated over 1,200 yards through Week 16, while Kittle needs just nine more to record his third season of 1,000 yards or more. Samuel, meanwhile, has 834 yards despite sitting out two contests.
Even though each of those players is gifted, it’s easier for them to play football when they line up next to a threat like Christian McCaffrey.
2) With him, the 49ers offense triumphs and scores.
With McCaffrey as their starting running back, San Francisco is 21-3. Included in that figure is their season record of 11-3. Because winning requires scoring points, the two-time Pro Bowler provides his squad with other methods to put scores on the board.
With two games remaining in the regular season, he now has 21 touchdowns (14 receiving). More significantly, in all but two of the games he participated in in 2023, Christian McCaffrey scored a touchdown. With an average of 29.6 points per game, the Niners are now the third-best scoring team thanks to his performances. With 138.7 running yards per game, they rank fourth as well.
3) This season, Christian McCaffrey is without a doubt the best running back.
Before Week 17, McCaffrey has the most rushing yards (1,395) and rushing attempts (258) in the league. In the meantime, he trails Jalen Hurts and Raheem Mostert in the standings with 14 rushing touchdowns. However, Hurts gets most of his scores on short-yardage plays, mostly using the play that became known as the “Brotherly Shove.”
McCaffrey leads the league in scrimmage touchdowns with 21. His 537 receiving yards also rank first among all running backs, followed by 507 by Rachaad White. Among running backs with at least 200 rushing attempts, McCaffrey leads the NFL in both yards per carry and rushing first downs (78). Speak of having value.
4) His run game woes, cause the 49ers to falter.
Christian McCaffrey ended with 43 rushing yards against the Cleveland Browns in the first of three straight losses in the middle of the season. He then gained 45 yards in the Minnesota Vikings game and 54 yards in the Cincinnati Bengals game.
The 49ers, ironically, scored 17 points in each of those defeats. That represents half of their average of 34 points in their 11 wins. If he’s not pacing them on the ground, the Niners are lost. On the other hand, they have prevailed in six of the seven games in which McCaffrey has 100 rushing yards.
5) McCaffrey fared well in the 49ers’ most difficult examination.
Prior to that disastrous Week 16 MNF performance against the AFC-leading Baltimore Ravens, which featured four interceptions, a lot had been made regarding Purdy’s MVP possibilities. Claimed to be a seismic confrontation and a possible Super Bowl LVIII prelude, Jackson and the Ravens ended up with the short end of the stick.
Christian McCaffrey, on the other hand, performed admirably in spite of Purdy’s difficulties. On 14 carries, the three-time All-Pro running back gained 103 rushing yards and a touchdown along with six 28-yard receptions. Before the 49ers completely lost control of the game, his rushing touchdown helped San Francisco stay in it.
