You could make an argument that last year he should have
The NFL MVP award is a quarterback award. The last 11 recipients have been quarterbacks. Quarterback is the most important position in sports. The Offensive Player of the Year award is reserved for skill position players.
Is it possible for a skill position player to end the streak of quarterbacks as MVP? Is that player Christian McCaffrey? Coming off an incredible season that ended with the Offensive Player of the Year award, could this be the year McCaffrey wins the MVP? Last year’s voting saw McCaffrey accumulate 29.4 percent of the MVP voting, finishing third behind Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott. McCaffrey finished with more votes than Brock Purdy.
Here is what Battista said about McCaffrey’s chances:
The reigning Offensive Player of the Year finished third in MVP voting in 2023 and probably has the best chance of any current player to break the quarterback stranglehold on the award. Depending on how you define “MVP,” you could make a pretty strong case that McCaffrey should be no dark horse. In 2023, the 49ers superstar led the NFL in touches (339), scrimmage yards (2,023) and scrimmage touchdowns (21), and in his career, he averages 115.4 scrimmage yards per game, which is third all-time behind Jim Brown and Barry Sanders. It won’t hurt his chances that he is on a contending team that will almost certainly be playing meaningful games down the stretch, when voters are deciding their votes. Running backs have been devalued in the NFL, but McCaffrey is special enough to stand out.
The last position player to win MVP was Adrian Peterson in 2012 following a 2,000 rushing-yard season. The previous four winners were Peyton Manning (twice), Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers. 2005 and 2006 saw back-to-back running backs win the award in Shaun Alexander and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Terrell Davis, Emmitt Smith, Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders (Co-MVP with Brett Favre), Thurman Thomas, and Marcus Allen have all walked away with the award. The way running backs are valued has completely changed, but running backs have the best chance to win MVP after quarterback based on history.
McCaffrey will need to post a similar season in 2024 from last season with quarterbacks underperforming in 2024 to make a serious case, but he has the best chance of any non-quarterback to win the award.
