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Christian McCaffrey Crowned as the Best Player in NFL over Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen by Kyle Juszczyk

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Mohammed Bazim | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 3:40 AM ET

The San Francisco 49ers were one of the biggest misses last season, with just six wins in the season. The Niners’ 6-11 record was the worst for a team coming off a Super Bowl loss since the 2003 Oakland Raiders.

The Niners lost a chunk of their key players ahead of and amid the season, including former Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, to injury. In the offseason ahead of the 2024 season, the running back sustained an Achilles injury. Although he came back halfway through the season, McCaffrey couldn’t put much out and sustained a second injury, a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee.

After a long break, McCaffrey is set to return in full form in the upcoming season. Earlier this week, he said that “he was feeling great.”

Ahead of his return, his teammate, Kyle Juszczyk, has come out with a bold take on Christian McCaffrey. Juszczyk, who plays as a fullback for the Niners, claimed that McCaffrey is the best player in the league.

Christian is arguably the best player in the NFL. He was the offensive player of the year two years ago. He changes everything, and he looks incredible. He looks so healthy. He looks so explosive.
Kyle Juszczyk told Vic Tafur of TheAthletic.com

Injuries and durability concerns cloud as Christian McCaffrey returns

Christian McCaffrey, who recently became a dad for the first time, was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2017. After playing 16 games in his first three seasons, he played just 3 and 7 games in the successive seasons. He came back to full form in 2022 and 2023 before his four-game stint in the past season.

As a player with a history of injuries, it is also a key reason why critics are hesitant to put McCaffrey as a top contender in the coming season. In a recent article, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN ranked the top ten running backs heading into the new season. McCaffrey is ranked fifth on the list behind the likes of Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson.

Sure, one would think McCaffrey, being an OPOY and three Pro Bowl selections, would rank higher. Fowler noted that the player’s durability issues are key to his ranking position. An NFL exec expressed that, amidst his positives, he has had the same issues since college. He had famously missed one game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish while playing for the Stanford Cardinals due to a inguinal hip pull.

He’s a great player, but he’s always had durability issues, even in college. He’s an elite trainer and takes great care of himself. He’s just not a big body and will lose a step eventually.
An NFL personnel executive said

The Draft Sharks Injury Guide puts a 63.6% chance of McCaffrey being injured in the upcoming season. The guide further suggested that McCaffrey might end up missing three games due to injury.

Nevertheless, Fowler did state that a healthy McCaffrey would have substantial production. He added that a return to the 2023 form would put him in MVP conversations. Christian McCaffrey has posted four seasons with at least 1,800 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns.

The same feat was only surpassed by Hall of Famers LaDainian Tomlinson, Marshall Faulk, Emmitt Smith, and Walter Payton, who each had five. Since 2006, McCaffrey and Tomlinson are the only players to record a season with over 2,000 scrimmage yards and 25 total touchdowns, including the playoffs.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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