The ESPN ranking for each position came out to get fans excited for the 2023 NFL season. With that, the San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was placed in second. In first place was the Cleveland Browns running back, Nick Chubb. The placements were voted by the league’s executives, coaches, scouts, and players. Without taking anything away from Chubb, many were surprised to see that McCaffrey was not in first. Chubb was also rated higher in the Madden 23 rankings. So, is Christian McCaffrey the best running back in the league, or does Nick Chubb really take the lead?
2022 Christian McCaffrey Stats
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (23) – Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
Step one is to look at the 2022 stats for these players. McCaffrey did start the 2022 NFL season with the Carolina Panthers before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers. McCaffrey played six games with the Panthers and finished out the season with the 49ers. In the 2022 season, McCaffrey rushed for 1,139 yards and eight touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. Being the versatile player he is, McCaffrey is a great receiver as well. He ended the 2022 regular season with 741 receiving yards and five touchdowns. While maybe this cannot be used as a running back argument, McCaffrey did have one passing touchdown in 2022.
What made McCaffrey stand out the most this season was that he looked like his true self after years of injuries. He was able to play to his potential. Sure, he faced nagging injuries, but nothing that kept him out of games. He no longer needs to take the brunt of the snaps now that he is with the 49ers, who have multiple strong players that can give him time to rest. He was such a difference-maker once he joined the 49ers as well. It really looked like they could not lose once he became a starter for the team. Going into a full season with him and the team can be special.
2022 Nick Chubb Stats
Browns RB Nick Chubb (24) – David Dermer/USA TODAY Sports
While this is an argument on if Christian McCaffrey is the number one receiver, this is not meant to knock Nick Chubb down. He is a strong player on a weaker offense. In 2022, Chubb rushed for 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. He also had 239 receiving yards and one touchdown reception. Chubb is just as important to the Cleveland Browns as McCaffrey is to the 49ers. This is what makes him such a great running back.
Chubb also had a great average for rushing yards per game in 2022, which was higher than McCaffrey’s. Chubb averaged 89.9 rushing yards per game, while McCaffrey averaged 67 yards per game. While McCaffrey was a huge part of the 49ers, Chubb was also in the Pro Bowl but was talked about less due to the team he was on. If it were not for Chubb, who knows how many games the Browns would have won?
Christian McCaffrey or Nick Chubb
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (23) – Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photo
If you judge this by stats, it would have to go to Chubb as the best running back currently. Both receivers are 27, but what Chubb definitely gets credit for is that he has had a healthier career. Hopefully, now that McCaffrey is on a team with weapons such as George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and numerous other players, McCaffrey will remain healthy.
In their careers, McCaffrey has rushed for 4726 yards, and Chubb has rushed for 6,341. Perhaps an argument can be made that McCaffrey is the better football player, given his versatility, an argument for that can definitely be made. Overall, both Nick Chubb and Christian McCaffrey are fantastic players. Chubb’s health and the way he is utilized on the Browns give him the edge in this race for now. Perhaps a full season with the San Francisco 49ers will give McCaffrey the breakthrough he needs to become the number-one running back.
These two players will actually be facing each other in week six of the 2023 NFL season. It will be an exciting game seeing those two go head-to-head. It is okay to prefer one over the other, but either way, these two are fantastic players and are deserving of the top two spots for their position ranks.
