Good morning to everyone but especially to...
THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AND CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY...
One of the best skill position groups in the NFL just got better. Historically better, in fact. Christian McCaffrey is headed to the 49ers in one of the biggest running back trades in recent memory.
49ers receive:
Panthers receive:
2023 second-round pick2023 third-round pick2023 fourth-round pick2024 fifth-round pickIt can be easy to forget just how amazing McCaffrey is, given his injury history and the Panthers' abysmal play, but here's a taste:
Only player in NFL history to average 50 rushing yards per game and 50 receiving yards per game for his careerFastest player in NFL history to reach 3,000 rushing yards and 3,000 receiving yardsOne of three players to have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a season (in 2019)670 scrimmage yards this year, fourth in NFL
Oh, and did I mention McCaffrey is under contract through 2025? That means he, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle are all tied to the organization for at least the next three seasons.
Despite giving up such a talent, the Panthers earned an A- in NFL expert Josh Edwards' trade grades (better than the B- the 49ers were given).
Edwards: "It is hard to call the team parting with a player as talented as McCaffrey a winner, but that is the case for Carolina... Carolina now has ample draft capital to be aggressive. The Panthers hold their original picks in Rounds 1, 2, 4 and 5 so the haul from the Bay Area will be added to that pile."One final thing: A big part of what allowed the 49ers to do this deal is six compensatory picks thanks to the departures of former coordinators Robert Saleh (Jets head coach), Mike McDaniel (Dolphins head coach) and former VP of player personnel Martin Mayhew (Commanders GM).
San Francisco's ability to identify and develop coaching/front-office talent is an understated part of their organizational strength, and now they have a star to show for it. Oh, and yes, we have the fantasy football impact as well.
... AND ALSO A GOOD MORNING TO THE ARIZONA CARDINALS
The Cardinals got their superstar wide receiver back, and now they might be on their way to getting their offense back on track, too. DeAndre Hopkins made his season debut and the Arizona defense had two pick-sixes in a 42-34 win over the Saints.
First and foremost, the game gave us this excellent photo:
Ok, back to what happened on the field.
Hopkins had 10 catches for 103 yards. Of Kyler Murray's 29 passes, 14 went in Hopkins' direction.Marco Wilson and Isaiah Simmons both had a pick-six late in the first half. The Cardinals became the first team to have two pick-sixes in the first half since 2018, when the Broncos did it against the Cardinals.Eno Benjamin had 113 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.Since Hopkins arrived in 2020, the Cardinals are 17-10 when he plays and 5-9 when he doesn't, playoffs included. Last night showed why.
Honorable mentions
And not such a good morning for...
Getty ImagesTHE NEW YORK YANKEES
The Astros are two wins from their fourth World Series trip in six years, and if the Yankees' offense doesn't wake up, it might only take two more games. Houston took a 2-0 lead in the ALCS with a 3-2 win Thursday.
Alex Bregman hit a three-run home run with two outs and two strikes in the third inning to account for all of Houston's runs.Framber Valdez went seven innings, allowing just two runs on four hits and striking out nine. Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly each delivered a scoreless inning of relief.Since 2017, the Astros are 6-1 against the Yankees in playoff games decided by two or fewer runs, including 2-0 in this series.Obviously credit the Astros... but the Yankees' offense has been mind-bogglingly bad.
9-for-65 (.138) batting average this series30 strikeouts, tied for fourth-most ever in any two-game stretch in a Championship SeriesNine straight games with six or fewer hits, the longest streak in franchise historyAaron Judge is hitting .179 this postseason. Giancarlo Stanton is at .167. Gleyber Torres is at .148.The Yankees haven't come back from a 2-0 deficit in a seven game series since the 1996 World Series against the Braves. Unless the bats come alive, that won't change.
