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Factoid

Christian McCaffrey

McCaffrey in the mix for No. 1 overall

I haven’t stacked an overall board yet; I’m just working my way through teams and players, trying to carefully put together projections. But when it comes time to settle on a No. 1 overall player, Christian McCaffrey will be in the discussion.

McCaffrey was pretty awesome in the 2018-19, contributing extensively as a runner and a pass catcher, and I liked what I saw from him in his brief playing time last year. Carolina seems to have the right kind of dynamic coaching staff.

And if we can get McCaffrey back to putting up numbers anywhere in the same zip code as two years ago, that might make him the No. 1 guy.

Consider the following method of measuring overall value. Take each player’s total production (and here, I’m using PPR scoring). Then measure it against the top 12 players at his own position. The difference between those numbers shows what he’s doing relative to the other top performers you potentially could instead have at those positions.

Using such a measuring system, McCaffrey grades out as the most valuable player since the merger in 1970, coming in ahead of 2006 LaDainian Tomlinson, 1975 O.J. Simpson and Marshall Faulk in his two best seasons with the Greatest Show on Turf.

It’s early, but if I were picking together, McCaffrey would be the choice at No. 1 overall.

In the chart below, players from the last three years are tagged with black dots. McCaffrey from the 2018 season shows up at #91 (way down on this list, but also an outstanding season – this list covers 50 years). Yards and touchdowns include passing, rushing and receiving (added together). You’ve got the PPR point totals for players, followed by the average PPR totals for the top 12 at that position in said season. Final column shows the “bang for your buck” number.

TOP 100 PLAYERS SINCE MERGER
YearPlayerYardsTDPPRTop 12Diff
2019Christian McCaffrey, Car.2,39219471.2293.3177.9
2006LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.2,34333483.3317.3166.0
1975O.J. Simpson, Buff.2,24323390.3250.3140.0
2000Marshall Faulk, St.L.2,18926459.9321.4138.5
2001Marshall Faulk, St.L.2,14721425.7287.8137.9
2016David Johnson, Ariz.2,11820413.8278.5135.3
1984Dan Marino, Mia.5,07748445.5310.4135.1
1995Emmitt Smith, Dall.2,14825426.8292.4134.4
1998Steve Young, S.F.4,62442441.9309.4132.6
2020• Travis Kelce, K.C.1,42011314.8183.3131.5
2013Peyton Manning, Den.5,44656498.8367.3131.4
1975Chuck Foreman, Min.1,76122381.1250.3130.8
1983Todd Christensen, Oak.1,24712288.7159.2129.5
2007Tom Brady, N.E.4,90452462.1332.7129.4
1999Marshall Faulk, St.L.2,42912403.9277.3126.6
1986Dan Marino, Mia.4,74344413.0287.8125.2
1990Randall Cunningham, Phil.4,40835417.5293.1124.4
1980Kellen Winslow, S.D.1,2909272.0149.5122.5
2000Tony Gonzalez, K.C.1,2039267.3145.3122.0
2011Rob Gronkowski, N.E.1,32918330.9209.1121.8
2003Priest Holmes, K.C.2,11027447.0327.4119.6
2009Chris Johnson, Ten.2,50916398.9280.0118.9
2003LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.2,39118444.1327.4116.7
1987Jerry Rice, S.F.1,12923315.9203.2112.7
2010Arian Foster, Hou.2,22018396.0283.5112.5
1994Ben Coates, N.E.1,1747255.4143.2112.2
2020• Alvin Kamara, N.O.1,68821377.8266.4111.4
2017Todd Gurley, LAR2,09319387.3276.0111.3
1986Todd Christensen, Oak.1,1538258.3147.4110.9
2002Priest Holmes, K.C.2,28724442.7332.2110.5
2004Daunte Culpepper, Min.5,12341450.5340.2110.2
1994Steve Young, S.F.4,26242413.8305.2108.5
2018• Travis Kelce, K.C.1,33610296.6188.3108.3
2011Ray Rice, Balt.2,06916376.9268.8108.1
1977Walter Payton, Chi.2,12116335.1227.1108.0
1990Warren Moon, Hou.4,90435400.0293.1106.9
2007Brian Westbrook, Phil.2,10412372.4266.0106.4
2019• Michael Thomas, N.O.1,7169374.6268.4106.2
1993Steve Young, S.F.4,43231372.1266.4105.6
1996Shannon Sharpe, Den.1,06210246.2140.9105.3
1993Jerry Rice, S.F.1,57216351.2246.1105.1
2013Jamaal Charles, K.C.1,98019382.0277.2104.8
2018• Patrick Mahomes, K.C.5,36952496.1391.4104.7
1992Emmitt Smith, Dall.2,04819377.8274.4103.4
2013Jimmy Graham, N.O.1,21516303.5201.0102.5
2006Steven Jackson, St.L.2,33416419.4317.3102.1
2007LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.1,96619367.8266.0101.8
1984James Wilder, T.B.2,24514390.7288.9101.8
2004Tony Gonzalez, K.C.1,2637270.3168.7101.6
1983Eric Dickerson, LAR2,21220392.2291.1101.1
1999Edgerrin James, Ind.2,13917377.9277.3100.6
1988Randall Cunningham, Phil.4,43230384.8284.2100.6
1992Sterling Sharpe, G.B.1,46913332.9232.8100.1
1986Jerry Rice, S.F.1,65816347.0247.0100.0
1991Thurman Thomas, Buff.2,03812337.8237.8100.0
2020• Darren Waller, L.V.1,1969282.6183.399.3
1990Jerry Rice, S.F.1,50213328.2230.697.6
1994Emmitt Smith, Dall.1,82522364.5267.597.0
2002Marvin Harrison, Ind.1,73211384.2287.496.8
2003Randy Moss, Min.1,65017378.0282.695.4
1998Terrell Davis, Den.2,22523385.5290.395.2
2014LeVeon Bell, Pitt.2,21511370.5275.694.9
2008Tony Gonzalez, K.C.1,05810261.8167.094.9
2011Drew Brees, N.O.5,56247478.4383.794.7
1983Kellen Winslow, S.D.1,1728253.2159.294.0
1999Kurt Warner, St.L.4,44542398.9305.193.8
1995Jerry Rice, S.F.1,92518420.5326.793.7
2018• Zach Ertz, Phil.1,1638280.3188.392.0
2000Daunte Culpepper, Min.4,40740421.9330.091.9
1997Barry Sanders, Det.2,35814352.8261.591.3
1991Barry Sanders, Det.1,85517328.5237.890.7
2019• Lamar Jackson, Balt.4,33343463.0373.189.8
1996Brett Favre, G.B.4,03541382.6292.789.8
1999Tony Gonzalez, K.C.84911226.9137.189.8
2007Randy Moss, N.E.1,49323385.3295.989.4
1985Roger Craig, S.F.2,06615388.6299.289.4
1993Shannon Sharpe, Den.9959234.5145.688.9
1981Kellen Winslow, S.D.1,07510255.5166.788.8
2003Tony Gonzalez, K.C.91610222.6133.988.7
2014Antonio Brown, Pitt.1,73115391.1302.588.6
1974Cliff Branch, Oak.1,09213247.2159.587.8
2004Peyton Manning, Ind.4,59549427.7340.287.4
1996Vinny Testaverde, Balt.4,36535379.7292.786.9
2011Jimmy Graham, N.O.1,31011296.0209.186.9
1995Brett Favre, G.B.4,59441408.8321.986.8
2004Antonio Gates, S.D.96413255.4168.786.7
1994Jerry Rice, S.F.1,59215363.2276.686.6
2015Devonta Freeman, Atl.1,63414320.4233.886.6
2005Antonio Gates, S.D.1,10110259.1173.685.6
2014DeMarco Murray, Dall.2,26113361.1275.685.5
2018Christian McCaffrey, Car.2,01514388.0302.885.2
1999Steve Beuerlein, Car.4,56038390.2305.185.1
2005Shaun Alexander, Sea.1,95828378.8293.885.0
2011Calvin Johnson, Det.1,69216361.2276.984.3
1985Marcus Allen, Oak.2,33014383.2299.284.0
1987Mark Bavaro, NYG8678189.7106.183.6
2015Antonio Brown, Pitt.1,86211392.2308.983.3
2018• Saquon Barkley, NYG2,02815385.8302.883.0
2012Adrian Peterson, Min.2,31413351.4268.682.8
1980John Jefferson, S.D.1,35613295.6213.582.1

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index