2025 Pre-Season Rank #21, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #16, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #55 Pre-Season Rank #66, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #76, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #81. Peak Period: 2017-18/2021-23

When we look at the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class, the induction of Roger Craig bodes well for another current 49er, Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey started his career with the Carolina Panthers, and in 2019, he joined Craig by rushing for over 1,000 yards and catching passes for over 1,000 yards—a rare accomplishment only shared by Craig and McCaffrey. Injuries hindered his progress in the following two years, but in 2022, when he was healthy and returned to Pro Bowl form, the team that had given up and traded him to San Francisco surrounded him. McCaffrey is one of the most adaptable running backs, but his role often involves dealing with injuries. 

In 2023, McCaffrey won his first Rushing Title, while also winning his second Yards From Scrimmage and Touchdown title.  This was an incredible campaign that as per usual CMC fashion, was followed by an injury-plagued year.

Last season, McCaffrey had his third 2,000-yard-plus YFS year, and is in a place where he is 21 yards shy of 13,000 in YFS, and is still capable of pounding more yards as long as the injury bug does not bite.

Is CMC a Hall of Famer?  Craig’s induction surely helps, but a ring would help more!

2025 Pre-Season Rank #46, pSeason 2024 Pre-Season Rank #89, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #100, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #112. 2021 Pre-Season Rank #106, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #117.  Peak Period: 2021-25

In 2018, Jared Goff led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl appearance.  They did not win, and although he won two Pro Bowls, the Rams gave up on him and traded the Quarterback to the Detroit Lions.  In Stafford’s first season in L.A., he won a Super Bowl, making Goff look bad in the process, but years later, Goff and the Lions proved it was not a one-sided transaction.

Goff brought Detroit to the NFC Championship Game in 2023 and was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2022 and 2024.  In 2023, Goff had his best year to date, throwing for 4,629 Yards and 37 Touchdowns, but the potent Lions were bounced early in the playoffs.  Nevertheless, Goff finished fifth in the MVP race that year, and is still young and talented enough to take the talented Lions to a Super Bowl win.   If that happens, this will result in a colossal jump for Goff.  

2025 Pre-Season Rank #40, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #32, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #44, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #55, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #63, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #80.  Peak Period: 2016-17/2021-23

There is no greater pressure cooker in the National Football League than being the Quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.  While Dak Prescott has been maligned in some circles for not winning a Super Bowl or even getting there, the stat line shows that he has been very good for some time.

The 2016 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has been selected to three Pro Bowls, has broken 4,400 Yards three times, and in 2023, he led the NFL in Touchdown Passes (36) and was the runner-up for the league MVP.  Last season, he was a Pro Bowl Selection on an uneven team, and he begins 2026 as a top-ten Quarterback, regardless of what his biggest haters think.

The Cowboys are unlikely to win a Super Bowl this year, but a playoff run is possible, and if Dak can rack up some large stats, he still has time to make a solid case for the Hall.  Remember, Matthew Stafford’s real push came late.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #10, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #14, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #30, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #38, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #46, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #76. Peak Period: 2019-20/22-24*

Everything but the Super Bowl.

Lamar Jackson has been money since he arrived in the National Football League, winning the MVP in 2019, his second in 2023, and in 2024, he almost won it, finishing second to Buffalo’s Josh Allen (even though Jackson was the AP First Team All-Pro).

A Quarterback with two MVPs (and remember, almost three) is a slam dunk to make it to Canton, but he does not want to challenge Dan Marino as the finest QB never to win it all. 

That is where it gets tricky. 

Bluntly, unlike every other position in the NFL, a quarterback’s legacy is based on winning it all, or at least getting there.  There is no doubt that he has been phenomenal throughout his career, but in 2025, Jackson had his first losing season, and he was clearly frustrated to the point where it looked like he might be moving on from the Ravens.

As we enter the 2026 season, Jackson and the Ravens are looking to rebound, and he has the skills to do it.  This is still a top-five QB, and he currently boasts the highest all-time Passer Rating.  Saying that, is Lamar transitioning from a Hall of Fame lock to a Hall of Fame debate?  This season could speak to that.

*We will split peak periods as long as it a division of two and three years.