(Photo: AtoZ Sports)
4. Christian McCaffrey: And just like that, we’re here with four players remaining! It truly does go by quickly each and every year. The San Francisco 49ers were an interesting football team in 2025. I’ve often said that when they are healthy and clicking on all cylinders, they are the best team in the NFC, and it’s not particularly close either. As expected with every team, injuries really hampered this group. They were without Brock Purdy for many games, lost Nick Bosa to a torn ACL, and Fred Warner dislocated and broke his ankle. Despite that, Kyle Shanahan still guided this football team to the playoffs, and they also upset the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round. One piece remained consistent for the 49ers all season, and he wears number 23. Christian McCaffrey is back! He returns as my fourth-ranked player in the league and my top-ranked Running Back.
When you think of the most complete offensive players in the modern NFL, he’s got to be at the top of the list. The production is one thing, but when he’s on the field, nobody is better than Christian. What has separated him from all others at the position is the different ways he can hurt a defense on any given snap. I will go as far as to say he’s not just a Running Back—he is an entire offensive system built into one player. There are so many aspects of his game to cover, starting with carrying the ball out of the backfield, of course. As a runner, Christian is a patient yet explosive threat who doesn’t waste motion. He’s elite at setting up blocks, pressing the line, and knowing when to cut at the right moment. Christian isn’t the biggest back, but his balance through contact, along with his short-area acceleration, makes him incredibly difficult to tackle in the open field. The versatility speaks for itself. Christian can run outside the tackles, between the tackles, and knows how to make people miss in space. Continuing with his versatility, he can hurt a defense in the passing game just as much as he does on the ground, as he truly functions as an additional receiver out of the backfield. His route running is sharp, his hands are natural, and in space he creates major mismatches against linebackers and safeties. He has the ability to turn routine catches into big chunk plays. What also stands out to me about Christian is his football IQ. He understands spacing, leverage, and timing at an elite level. If you watch him closely, he rarely runs into crowded areas and consistently finds space against both man and zone coverage, which is why Brock trusts him so much in high-leverage situations. I’m one of those guys who likes to watch what a football player does when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. He’s a willing blocker, stays involved when he’s not getting the ball, and plays with an edge every quarter.
It’s a night-and-day difference with him on the field compared to when he isn’t, and the 49ers’ last two seasons are proof of that. In 2024, he was in and out of the lineup dealing with injuries and only played a total of four games, and the 49ers missed the playoffs. In 2025, Christian plays a full 17-game season, and look what happens—they make the postseason. He’s by far their most valuable player, and it goes without saying. As I mentioned a few years back on this project when he made the list, he’s the closest thing I’ve seen to LaDainian Tomlinson as a back who can dominate in the running game and be just as effective as a receiver in the passing game. Christian was awarded Comeback Player of the Year for his 2025 season, and it was well earned.
