Christian McCaffrey is a difference-maker. The running back proved that after the Carolina Panthers traded him to the San Francisco 49ers last season. He finished the season with 1,880 all-purpose yards and 13 total touchdowns, contributing to the Niners' 12-game win streak.
An impressive 1,210 of his all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns came after arriving in Santa Clara. McCaffrey becomes the fourth known 49ers player listed within the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023, with more likely to be revealed as the countdown continues through Monday, August 7.
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The NFL Top 100 is different than other rankings because it is voted on by the players, making it an honor to be included. It is based on player performance during the previous year and predicted performance during the upcoming season. This year's ranking is the league's 13th.
McCaffrey came in at No. 35 on this year's list. He was not ranked in last year's edition, last appearing on the list in 2021, when he landed at No. 44.
Players 40-31 on the #NFLTop100!
Stream the full countdown on NFL+ https://t.co/jJ2Ji8yysP pic.twitter.com/cBKxBVMQYb
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 2, 2023
"While everyone else looks to the bargain bin for running backs, the 49ers spent four draft picks on CMC last October," wrote NFL Media's Bobby Kownack. "He rewarded them by transforming their offense overnight, amassing 1,210 total yards and 10 touchdowns in 11 games. Quarterback Brock Purdy may be the feel-good story, but McCaffrey arrived during Week 7, and the Niners didn't lose from Week 8 until the NFC Championship Game."
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McCaffrey is entering his first full season with San Francisco and looks to improve upon last season's performance.
"I think it's just building off of getting a full offseason, of really understanding not just the plays, but understanding why they're calling it, working together with everybody," McCaffrey recently told NFL Network's Omar Ruiz. "It's such a fun team to play for because of that. You've got great minds coaching it, calling plays, and you've got great players who do so much more than just [what they do] with the ball in their hand.
"So, for me, it's just about capitalizing on all the plays. And, like you said, it was a great experience being able to learn from scratch in the offseason instead of having to jump in Week 6. So I'm excited."
Below is a list of the 49ers players who have already been revealed within the NFL Top 100.
- Christian McCaffrey, No. 35
- Deebo Samuel, No. 61
- Talanoa Hufanga, No. 78
- Dre Greenlaw, No. 79