Carolina Panthers ball carrying duo selected as best in the NFL

The Carolina Panthers quarterback and running back lead all NFL rushers entering 2019.

The Carolina Panthers appeared to ease running back Christian McCaffrey into his role before relying on him heavily last season. After carrying the football only 117 times during his rookie year (2017), McCaffrey received over 100 more (219) handoffs during 2018. While some of his increase was related to quarterback Cam Newton being injured, his production also led to more opportunities.

Newton himself saw a decline in ground game output, registering the second fewest carries of his career. Typically a threat to move the football both through the air and on the ground, the Panthers franchise quarterback has been attempting to limit his contact chances. Despite the changes, if the opportunity presents itself, then you can still expect Newton to exit the pocket and move the football with his legs.

If healthy, the backfield duo in Carolina is expected to be even more special during the upcoming season. According to Pro Football Focus, Newton and McCaffrey are ranked as the best rushing tandem ahead of the 2019 season.

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One of three quarterback and running back duos, the Panthers outpaced Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram, in addition to this year’s No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray and David Johnson in Arizona.

"McCaffrey was one of three running backs to avoid 20 missed tackles on both rushing and receiving attempts, and Newton tied for first among quarterbacks in forced missed tackles on rushing attempts (20) with far fewer attempts than his league-leading counterpart, Lamar Jackson. The pair’s elusiveness is a huge reason why they have the potential to be the best in the league."

One of three Panthers position groups recognized in the early rankings, Carolina also had top-five selections for interior defensive line and linebacker. Free agent acquisition Gerald McCoy combines with Kawann Short up front while linebackers Luke Kuechly and Shaq Thompson paired up behind them.

For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, subscribe to PFF’s EDGE or ELITE subscriptions at ProFootballFocus.com.