The San Francisco 49ers had an eventful 2022 season capped off by an incredible run to the team's third appearance in the NFC Championship game over the last four years. When you look back at the football year that was, San Francisco's midseason trade for running back Christian McCaffrey jumps off the page as one of the season-altering moves for the organization. It's no coincidence the 49ers 12-game win streak began the same week McCaffrey was fully unleashed (Week 8 vs. the Los Angeles Rams).
The do-it-all running back is once again being recognized for his tremendous production this season. In the latest NFL running back rankings, McCaffrey is ranked as the No. 1 starting running back of 2022 according to analyst Maurice Jones-Drew. Over the course of the year, McCaffrey played all 17 regular season games amassing 1,139 rushing yards on 244 carries and eight touchdowns, and through the air, he had 85 catches for 741 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Let's also not forget about his passing touchdown against the Rams, and on top of all that, he went the whole regular season slate without a fumble.
Here's what Jones-Drew wrote about McCaffrey in his rankings:
"McCaffrey was everything and then some for the 49ers after arriving in mid-October via trade. 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."
