How Christian McCaffrey's Season Stacks Up To Adrian Peterson's MVP Season

The former Stanford running back is having an MVP-caliber season for the San Francisco 49ers

With the NFL season winding down, one of the biggest discussions is centered around who will win the MVP award.

From week to week, there have been different players in the mix with names like Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa, Brock Purdy, and Lamar Jackson all being viewed as candidates. However, those names have come and gone this season, while only one has consistently been in the conversation.

Former Stanford running back star and current 49ers star Christian McCaffrey is having a career year while helping lead San Francisco to the top seed in the NFC, as they look to end their Super Bowl drought. However, while McCaffrey has easily been one of the best players in the league this season, the MVP award going to a running back isn't as common as it once was. The award, similar to the Heisman trophy in college football, is often given to quarterbacks.

Dec 25, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs the ball pressured by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

It would take a monster season for a running back to win MVP, which is something that hasn't happened since 2012 when Adrian Peterson won the award. With McCaffrey being so heavily considered, it felt like a good time to compare his season to Peterson's MVP year to show just how ridiculous of a season a running back needs to have. 

Here are McCaffrey's stats this season through 16 games compared to Peterson's MVP season.

Adrian Peterson MVP Season	Christian McCaffrey 2023-24 Season
Rushing Yards: 2,097	Rushing Yards: 1,459
Rushing TDs: 12	Rushing TDs: 14
Receiving Yards: 217	Receiving Yards: 564
Receiving TDs: 1	Receiving TDs: 7
Yards Per Carry: 6.0	Yards Per Carry: 5.4
Total Touches: 388	Total Touches: 339