The Facts: McCaffrey has added some bulk to the 203-pound frame he played in last season. “I've gained about five pounds of good muscle,” he said.
Diehards Line:
And while a photo featuring his arms have been drawing a lot of attention, it's not just the biceps that are bigger. “My core strength, my upper body strength and my lower body,” McCaffrey explained, “I’m just trying to increase all those. Make sure I can break tackles in the second level and be able to turn those three-, four-yard runs into some bigger runs.” Not surprisingly, McCaffrey found more success in space than he did between the tackles as a rookie. According to Football Outsiders, he broke 27 tackles on receptions, tied for fourth-most in the league. But as a runner, McCaffrey tied for 36th with only 20 broken tackles, and his 3.7 yards per carry ranked 32nd among backs with at least 100 attempts. That’s a big reason why his highly regimented training program this offseason zeroed in on strength. Will the added bulk slow him down? “We'll see. I just want to play where I feel fastest, where I feel most explosive, where I feel most comfortable,” he said. Expect the necessary adjustments -- if any -- to be made as the season draws nearer.