And just like that, we have a new entry in the top-10 candidates for NFL MVP, according to the odds.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey scored four touchdowns in a 35-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and joined a pretty exclusive club.
How exclusive? The two other members are Hall of Fame running backs Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith.
After four games, the former Stanford star leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage (600). Brown (1958, ’63) and Smith (1995) are the only other players with at least 600 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns in their first four games of a season.
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This season, McCaffrey has 459 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 80 carries (5.7 average), and 141 receiving yards on 18 catches and a score.
After his dominant performance — McCaffrey became the first 49er to score the team’s first four TDs in a game — the versatile player surged up the NFL MVP odds list.
“The ‘CMC for MVP’ campaign will pick up momentum after the veteran’s spectacular performance,” FOX Sports NFL Analyst Bucky Brooks wrote. “Running back Christian McCaffrey scored four touchdowns while amassing 177 scrimmage yards to overwhelm the Arizona Cardinals. With Brock Purdy also slicing the defense with surgical precision, the 49ers look like an unstoppable force in the NFC.”
McCaffrey is tied for ninth in MVP odds at +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total) with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. He has the lowest odds of any non-QB.
Prior to the game, McCaffrey was 13th in MVP odds at +4800.
2023 NFL MVP ODDS*
Josh Allen, Bills: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Jalen Hurts, Eagles: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Lamar Jackson, Ravens: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Justin Herbert, Chargers: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Brock Purdy, 49ers: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Christian McCaffrey, 49ers: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Dak Prescott, Cowboys: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Jared Goff, Lions: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Micah Parsons, Cowboys: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Matthew Stafford, Rams: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Deshaun Watson, Browns: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
McCaffrey is trying to become the first running back to be named MVP since former Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson in 2012. Yet improving to 4-0 was the biggest highlight for the son of former Broncos receiver Ed McCaffrey.
“Any time you can come out with a win, it’s special,” he said. “Obviously, I got the touchdowns, but two of those were short-yardage ones, those are really O-line touchdowns. I’ll take the statistics but it’s a great team win. … It’s good to be able to go out there and get the ‘W.'”
McCaffrey set a 49ers record for consecutive games with at least one TD (13, including playoffs), breaking the franchise record of 12 games held by Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.
In the MVP race, Buffalo QB Josh Allen moved back as the favorite at +350 after being at +700 the week before. Allen was 21-for-25 passing (84%) for 320 yards and four TDs, and ran for one score in a 48-20 win over Tagovailoa and the Dolphins.
Tagovailoa, who was the favorite last week at +350, fell to +500 after going 25-for-35 (71.4%) for 282 yards, one TD and one pick in the loss to the Bills.
McCaffrey is the +200 favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year, which is generally awarded to non-quarterbacks.
Are you backing McCaffrey to be named NFL MVP and/or OPOY? Stay with FOX Sports for the latest wagering news.
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