5 NFL Stats to Know Through Week 16

Christian McCaffrey Breaks Single Season Reception Record for a Running Back​

The Carolina Panthers' season essentially ended before Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, with the team shutting down star quarterback Cam Newton during the week. But if the team had nothing to play for, one player didn’t seem to get the memo.

Second year running back Christian McCaffrey amassed 178 yards from scrimmage on Sunday, with 101 on the ground and a further 78 through the air from his 12 receptions. These catches took him to 106 for the season, beating the record of 102 set by Matt Forte back in 2014 for the most by a running back in NFL history. It also took him past the 101 receptions that his dad, Ed McCaffrey, managed in his best season in 2000.

McCaffrey joins Forte and Ladainian Tomlinson (2003) as the only running backs with 100 receptions and 1,000 yards rushing in a single season. McCaffrey has 1,080 rushing yards this season. Sundays deeds brought McCaffrey 29.8 fantasy points, making it five games in a row in which he has amassed at least 26 fantasy points, for a total of 162.2. No other player at any position has more.