Admit it, Carolina Panthers fans. While many of you were happy for Christian McCaffrey during his successful 2022 run with the San Francisco 49ers, it kinda hurt, didn’t it?
Well, how much will this hurt . . . ?
Earlier this week, former All-Pro and current NFL.com analyst Maurice Jones-Drew ranked the league’s top 75 running backs from this past season. Topping his list was McCaffrey—who paid huge dividends for San Francisco promptly after being traded from Carolina.
“McCaffrey was everything and then some for the 49ers after arriving in mid-October via trade,” Jones-Drew writes. “With 1,210 scrimmage yards in 11 games for San Francisco — he had nearly 1,900 on the season — McCaffrey’s abilities were on display weekly in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. When talented running backs come into the league, I always hope that they get the opportunity to display their greatness and reach their potential; McCaffrey in San Francisco is a home run. He was hands down the best overall back in the NFL this year.”
The 49ers hit that home run back on Oct. 20, when they acquired McCaffrey for a pretty pricey bundle of draft capital. In return for the star rusher, the Panthers received second-round, third-round and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth for 2024.
Carolina would also receive one heck of a campaign from D’Onta Foreman, who ranked 21st on Jones-Drew’s list. The fifth-year back had a career season after taking over for McCaffrey, posting 914 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 203 carries.
So while seeing McCaffrey thrive with one of the sport’s juggernauts may continue to sting a bit, the Panthers weren’t left utterly high and dry. And hey, at least they get to say they had 2022’s No. 1 running back . . . for six games.
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