![Christian McCaffrey now has the most receptions by a running back in a season. [Image Source: Flickr | stefan jagoe]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/12/23/660x290/b_502x220x82/christian-mccaffrey-now-has-the-most-receptions-by-a-running-back-in-a-season-image-source-flickr-stefan-jagoe_2169859.jpg "Christian McCaffrey now has the most receptions by a running back in a season. [Image Source: Flickr | stefan jagoe]")
With the Carolina Panthers loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, they have now lost seven games in a row. The struggles continue for a Carolina team that started the season 6-2 but will now be watching the postseason rather than participating.
Even with the Panthers' season spiraling out of control, running back Christian McCaffrey is producing like few ever have, and he cannot be faulted for the team's losing streak. As a matter of fact, he has now set a new NFL record for most receptions by a running back in a season according to ESPN. He has done so even with one game remaining as Carolina will play the New Orleans Saints in Week 17 next Sunday.
106 receptions (and counting)
Through 15 games, McCaffrey now has 106 catches on the year. That breaks the previous record of receptions by a running back that was set in 2014 by Matt Forte with the Chicago Bears when he caught 102 passes.
The eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Stanford, McCaffrey struggled a bit as a runner his rookie season (435 rushing yards on 3.7 yards-per-carry), but he also recorded 80 receptions. He didn't receive a vote for Offensive Rookie of the Year as running back Alvin Kamara won with 28 votes. He beat out running back Kareem Hunt (21 votes) and quarterback Deshaun Watson (1 vote).
This season, McCaffrey has been a much-improved runner. He now has 1,080 yards rushing on five yards-per-carry.
Altogether, he now has 1.925 yards from scrimmage through the first 15 games.
What he has done this season as a pass-catcher out of the backfield though has been unworldly. He had 12 receptions on Sunday which is only the second-most he's had in a game this year. In Week 2, the 22-year-old brought in 14 passes against the Atlanta Falcons.
Other than in Week 3 when he caught just two passes (while running for 184 yards in that game), McCaffrey has finished with at least four receptions in each of the other 14 games. In his last five outings, he has 46 receptions.
Most receptions in Panthers history in a season
Sunday also saw McCaffrey break the team record for most catches in a season.
According to the Panthers' website, he surpassed Steve Smith's previous mark of 103 receptions in the 2005 season.
He still has a long way to go to pass Smith for the franchise record for most career catches. After his 12 catches on Sunday, McCaffrey now has 186 for his career. Smith snagged 836 balls for Carolina while playing for the team from 2001-2013.
