Where 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey Ranks in NFL's Top 100 Players List

Agree or disagree?

Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) watches warmups before a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After winning Comeback Player of the Year, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has ranked inside the top 10 of the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2025.

To be exact, he's ranked the sixth best player in the league. Last season, in both the regular and postseason, he had 19 total touchdowns, 1,285 rushing yards, and 1,029 receiving yards, but more importantly, he played in every game and remained injury-free.

On paper, it looks like an exceptional year from an exceptional player, and for the most part, that's exactly the praise he deserves

He was one of the most important players on the 49ers' roster last season. With injuries left, right and center on both sides of the ball, McCaffrey was one of the key reasons behind their playoff push.

He almost became the first running back in NFL history to record 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in two separate seasons. He came incredibly close and, to his credit, when you take away any other nuance, it was one of the best seasons of his already stacked career.

Aug 20, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) leaves the field after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But there's a big caveat that suggests ranking him as the sixth-best player in the NFL may be too high, and that's his explosiveness in the running game. Yes, he endured a disastrous 2024 season, being restricted to very little time on the field and failing to score a touchdown, but it's worth considering whether those injury problems have had a lasting impact on his explosiveness.

McCaffrey averaged 3.9 yards per carry, which ranked him 40th in the league, and it's a massive drop from the 5.4 yards he averaged during his Offensive Player of the Year season in 2023.

Now, it could be the lingering effects of his injury problems from 2024, or it could also be down to how much he was expected to do each game. His workload was the second-highest in the league and he played every single game. Both factors intertwine because the effects of his previous injuries cannot be completely separated from the demands of such a significant workload.

Thankfully, now more than ever, San Francisco has decided to reduce his workload moving forward. He's now 30, and his usage needs to be managed more carefully to ensure the 49ers can continue getting the best out of him.

So, sixth overall can be seen as a fair ranking in some aspects, but perhaps too high in others. His importance to this roster can't be understated, and realistically, the 49ers may not have made the playoffs had he been injured for a significant period.