Christian McCaffrey sets Panthers' yards-from-scrimmage season record

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey broke the franchise's single-season record for yards from scrimmage with a 9-yard run in the first quarter of Monday night's game against the New Orleans Saints.

The eighth pick of the 2017 draft surpassed DeAngelo Williams' record of 1,636 yards, set in 2008. McCaffrey entered the game with 1,627 yards -- 926 rushing and 701 receiving.

McCaffrey is on track to set several marks this season. He came into the game needing 373 yards to become the 10th player in NFL history with 2,000 yards from scrimmage in his first or second season.

McCaffrey awaits to see if his play warrants a selection on Tuesday to his first Pro Bowl for the NFC, which is loaded with star running backs.

McCaffrey showed later in the first quarter he can throw, as well. On fourth-and-2 from midfield, the former Stanford star completed a 50-yard touchdown pass to tight endChris Manhertz.

It was McCaffrey's first NFL pass attempt. He was 2-for-3 throwing at Stanford. He also became the first non-quarterback in Saints history to throw a TD.

The touchdown made McCaffrey the third player in the NFL with a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown this season. Tarik Cohen andEmmanuel Sandersare the others.

McCaffrey entered the night ranked fourth among backs in all-purpose yards, behindEzekiel Elliott (Cowboys) 1,892, Todd Gurley (Rams) 1,831 and Saquon Barkley (Giants) 1,809. New Orleans' Alvin Kamara, last year's NFL Rookie of the Year and a 2017 Pro Bowl selection, entered Monday's game ranked sixth among backs with 1,542 yards.

The Pro Bowl takes four running backs from each conference. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton offered his opinion earlier on the week why McCaffrey should be selected.

"He's different ... than all of them,'' the 2015 NFL MVP said. "I'm not just saying that. There's certain things, you look at the league, that Kamara does better, Todd Gurley does better, the other running backs with big-play potential [do better]. Ezekiel. I'm pretty sure I'm missing a lot of others.

"But C-Mac is one of a kind. He really is a threat in every aspect of the game, running, [catching], throwing and even blocking. His physicality is really [undervalued]. But he's very physical, runs between the tackles. There's nothing he really can't do.''

McCaffrey leads all NFL running backs in percentage of playing time, taking 97.49 percent of the snaps entering Monday's game.