When healthy, Christian McCaffrey has been one of the best running backs in the game.
He is just two years removed from being named the Offensive Player of the Year while helping to lead the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl. Despite his obvious success in San Fran (and even Carolina), ESPN shocked the world with where they put the first-rounder on their latest list.
McCaffrey was gifted a spot on ESPN's All-Quarter Century Team along with Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowler Priest Holmes and 2,000-yard runner Derrick Henry.
Did McCaffrey really deserve a spot on this list, though?
The answer is a resounding no.
McCaffrey has never run for over 1,500 yards in his career. While he has recorded over 2,000 yards of total offense twice, other running backs like Ladanian Tomlinson - a Hall-of-Famer who was left off the list - tallied better marks than McCaffrey's career-bests.
Here is what ESPN gave as the reason for McCaffrey being on the list:
"As the best receiving back of the past 25 years, McCaffrey needs to be included on this roster. He averages 47 receiving yards per game, which is more than anyone else with at least 500 carries during that span," ESPN wrote. "But he's not only a receiving back. What makes McCaffrey special is that he has maintained 4.7 yards per carry over his career, 14th-best among running backs this quarter century."
So McCaffrey has not been one of the top-10 running backs in the last quarter century, but because he catches the football, he deserves to be over the likes of Adrian Peterson and L.T.?
Got it.
It's the dog days of summer, so this kind of content runs rampant to get a response. In that way, ESPN did its job.
That doesn't mean they are right. If they wanted to build out the Quarter Century Team based on having one all-around back, one receiving back, and one power runner, they shouldn't call it the Quarter Century Team. That kind of title only goes to the top players in their position.
McCaffrey hasn't been healthy enough throughout his career to be close on this list.