49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year. The award was announced Thursday night as part of the NFL Honors Ceremony.
It’s not a huge surprise McCaffrey won the award, which has become a de facto non-quarterback MVP award in an era where the MVP is almost exclusively a QB award. McCaffrey was also a top-five MVP finisher.
This season the 49ers star RB led the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards. He was also the league leader in scrimmage yards (2,023) and touches (339), and tied for the league lead with 21 total touchdowns. McCaffrey was rewarded with a Pro Bowl trip, a First-Team All-Pro nod, an NFC Offensive Player of the Week award and two Offensive Player of the Month awards.
As good as quarterback Brock Purdy was this year, it was clear McCaffrey was San Francisco’s best offensive player, and his OPOY award is just a cherry on top of what was a sensational season.
