Panthers: Christian McCaffrey represented well in rankings
Christian McCaffrey and the Carolina Panthers were given a favorable spot in the latest running back rankings courtesy of NFL Spin Zone…
As training camp approaches, so do prospective rankings. Sunday, Randy Gurzi of NFL Spin Zone wrote an excellent piece ranking the starting running backs of all 32 teams.
The Carolina Panthers were well-represented on this list with Christian McCaffrey ranking No. 18 on the list. The majority of the NFC South fared a bit higher. Ronald Jones was last on the list at No. 32 representing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Devonta Freeman of the Atlanta Falcons came in at No. 10 on the list and Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints was the highest on the list at No. 6.
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No. 18 is the perfect spot for McCaffrey on the list. There is no doubt he had a good season last year, especially for a rookie. He had decent success rushing the ball. Carrying the rock 117 times for 435 yards and two touchdowns, he did not exactly light the world on fire via the ground game. He was a much more effective receiving back. He caught 80 passes for 651 yards and five touchdowns, proving to be a threat through the air.
Will he suffer a sophomore slump? Time will only tell. Bringing in a seasoned veteran like C.J. Anderson to help McCaffrey in the running game was a very smart move. That way if McCaffrey falters, the Carolina Panthers will have a very serviceable backup plan.
McCaffery was ranked properly on this list. It gives him credit for what he did last season, while also not giving him too much credit. There is no doubt he still has room to grow was a player, and it would be nice to see him average more yards per carry. Last season, he only averaged 4.3 per carry and in order to be a successful running back in the National Football League, you need to be able to run successfully between the tackles.
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If last year was any indication, McCaffrey should be in for a big 2018 season. Hopefully with a good campaign, he will be higher on that list next season.