The wait for a running back to win MVP for the first time since 2012 will continue for at least another year, but Christian McCaffrey will head into the Super Bowl having claimed some premium hardware after being named Offensive Player of the Year.

McCaffrey, the San Francisco 49ers' do-it-all back, was announced as the winner at NFL Honors on Thursday. He had long since been considered the favorite, and beat his primary competition, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, to the award following a stunning regular season.

It was a 2023 campaign that saw McCaffrey surpass 2,000 scrimmage yards, making him the only player to achieve that feat this season. 

Of his 2,023 total yards, 1,459 of them came on the ground, netting McCaffrey the first rushing title of his career.

McCaffrey also tied with Raheem Mostert of the Dolphins for the league lead with 21 total touchdowns, his remarkable nose for the endzone helping him make NFL history earlier this season as he equaled Lenny Moore for the most consecutive games with a touchdown across the regular season and postseason. McCaffrey's streak was finally snapped at 17 games in the 49ers' Week 10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Fifth in Expected Points Added per target (min. 50 targets) among running backs and third in positive play rate, per Sports Info Solutions, no player in the NFL this season could claim to have the same dramatic level of influence on both the run game and the pass game as McCaffrey has enjoyed for the 49ers since joining them last year in a blockbuster midseason trade that now looks a masterstroke.

His incredible value to the 49ers was not enough for him to seriously threaten Lamar Jackson for MVP, but what McCaffrey did as both a runner and a receiver, not to mention his play in pass protection, left no doubt he was worthy of the award often seen as the MVP consolation prize.

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