A fifth San Francisco 49ers player has earned a spot on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list. Four-time Pro Bowl and five-time All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey came in at No. 6, climbing a massive 67 spots from his No. 73 ranking in 2025.
No. 6 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@49ers RB Christian McCaffrey! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/KKJZlBNLFU
— NFL (@NFL) August 28, 2026
McCaffrey joins the following 49ers teammates on this year's list:
- LT Trent Williams — No. 40
- TE George Kittle — No. 46
- LB Fred Warner — No. 54
- QB Brock Purdy — No. 85
McCaffrey is entering his 10th NFL season after a dominant 2025 campaign in which he amassed 2,126 scrimmage yards and 17 total touchdowns. It marked the third season of his career in which he surpassed 2,000 scrimmage yards. McCaffrey also recorded 1,202 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns last season.
49ers tight end George Kittle admitted that he placed McCaffrey at No. 1 on his ballot.
"Not just because he's my locker buddy and he watched me do the list," Kittle said. "Everything he does has a purpose. It's how he stretches, how he warms up. His intent is to be an incredible football player and to be reliable. He touches the ball 30 times a game.
"The outside world is like, you know, 'You got to take care of him. He's going to break down.' All he does is just keep performing. He just keeps being amazing. There's only one Christian McCaffrey, and there's only one guy who attacks the game like he does."
McCaffrey entered the NFL as the No. 8 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2017 NFL Draft before the 49ers acquired him in a trade during the 2022 season.
"He can kind of do it all," Seattle Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas said. "In the passing game, he's honestly like a receiver."
49ers left tackle Trent Williams described McCaffrey as a "unicorn."
Through his career, McCaffrey has amassed 12,979 scrimmage yards and 98 total touchdowns. His 413 touches in 2025 are the most in 49ers history.
"There might not be a more valuable non-quarterback to his team than McCaffrey is to the 49ers, who likely would not have made it all the way to the Divisional Round without him in 2025 -- considering the laundry list of injuries that struck other star players on the squad," NFL Media's Brooke Cersosimo wrote. "Not only did CMC predictably lead the team in rushing yards, but he also led in receptions and receiving yards, setting a franchise-record 413 touches on the season.
"The four-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro and 2025 NFL Comeback Player of the Year will again be the focal point of Kyle Shanahan's offense entering his age-30 season."
Mentioned in this article: George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy, Fred Warner, Trent Williams
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