Yesterday, we took a look at the situation in Los Angeles for 2017 seventh overall pick Mike Williams. Next up on the list isn’t just a player who had their fifth-year option picked up, but one we know the future plans for already. Selected with the eighth overall pick by the Carolina Panthers, Christian McCaffrey quickly ascended to stardom in the NFL. With the organization in a state of upheaval, the Panthers desperately needed a face for their franchise. They decided to let the league know for certain this offseason that it is McCaffrey.

McCaffrey became the highest-paid running back in league history last month as he and the Panthers agreed to a four-year extension. If recent history tells us anything, it’s that investing that much in a RB might not be the best plan. The Panthers for their part threw that caution to the wind, and now we are where we are. The long-term plan at QB remains unclear. The offensive gameplan will be brand new. Matt Rhule will be emperor of the franchise moving forward, apparently. If there is one question more important than the others here it is this- will it any of it matter?

Christian McCaffrey: Getting Here

I will admit, I wasn’t very high on Christian McCaffrey when he was coming to the league out of Stanford. For all the dazzle he displayed there, he kept reminding me too much of another electric runner from a Cali school- Reggie Bush. That isn’t to say that Bush didn’t have some nice years, but he always seemed to fall just short of what you were hoping for. McCaffrey’s rookie campaign didn’t do much to quell those worries. By the second half of 2018, though, you couldn’t even call McCaffrey a weapon. He was a full-on nuclear bomb.

Since then, Christian McCaffrey has run away with the league. He seems unstoppable at times, and aside from the one-off dud here and there, he has been near the top of the league every week. The obvious issue here is that the best-case scenario is that he holds steady. If you’ve got the top pick or for some insane reason he falls to you behind it, you have to take him. Once you have him, though, it might be tempting to maximize his value. With the uncertainty surrounding the offense as a whole, selling high seems prudent.

Moving Forward in Carolina

I have come full circle on McCaffrey, though. With Teddy Bridgewater under center and the Panthers making a huge investment in McCaffrey, the touches are there no question. Regardless of what this offense looks like, it will run through McCaffrey first and foremost. You don’t pay $64 million for a second option. Hold onto him with all your might, unless you get an offer you can’t refuse.

Two star quarterbacks are on deck. Are they the long-term plans for their franchises? Stay tuned to Belly Up Fantasy Sports and give me a follow on Twitter @KyeP_Sports to see what I think. Check in with Belly Up Sports to keep up with all the wild news swirling while we wait for live events.