McCaffrey is just a receiving back it may be time to reconsider.The Panthers' second-year running back is Tyrone Crawford Jersey coming off a perception-changing game on Sunday, rushing for a career-high 184 yards on 28 carries while playing all 67 offensive snaps in a 31-21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. It was an eye-opening outing for a player who'd never run for more than 66 yards in a game.McCaffrey is third in the league in rushing, 3 yards behind Dallas' Ezekiel Elliott and San Francisco's Matt Breida entering the team's bye weekend and is averaging 5.9 yards per carry.While many consider McCaffrey's greatest strength to be his receiving ability — which is not entirely inaccurate given he set a franchise rookie record with 80 receptions last season and he caught 14 passes for 102 yards in a Week 2 loss to the Falcons — he is proving he can carry the load on the ground, too.The 5-foot-10, 205-pound McCaffrey is motivated to dispel the notion that he can't be an every-down back that can run between the tackles, where he continually gouged the Bengals."It definitely bothers me," McCaffrey said of the perception. "But the more and more I've gone through this league, I learned that it's never been about proving anyone wrong or proving anybody right. Just proving myself right."Panthers coach Ron Rivera has often defended the team's first-round pick in 2017, saying nobody ran between the tackles more in college than McCaffrey."His ability to run the ball inside, he doesn't get enough credit for it," Rivera said.Of course, doing it at Stanford is a lot different than doing it in the NFL where defenders are bigger, faster and stronger. Now it will be up to McCaffrey to prove he can produce consistently as an every-down running back for an entire season, not just one game.Teammates are confident he can."He's obviously not just a receiving back, he's a total running back," Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said. "He shows signs that this is not a fluke Authentic Jaylon Smith Jersey , he's been doing this his whole career — collegiately as well as professionally."Rivera shocked some earlier this offseason when he said it would be "ideal" if the Panthers got McCaffrey 25-30 touches per game, similar to how offensive coordinator Norv Turner used LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. He had a career-high 30 on Sunday.McCaffrey's 14 catches the week before might have caught the Bengals off guard. They seemed determined to take him away in the passing game, but couldn't stop him on the ground.The fact that McCaffrey commands so much attention as a receiver and a runner is the reason the Panthers never took him out of the game.When he wasn't being used as a ball carrier, he proved to be an effective decoy on all four of Carolina's touchdowns.On one second-quarter play, Newton dropped back and faked a pass to McCaffrey , drawing defenders in that direction, then threw a screen pass back to the other side of the field which C.J. Anderson caught and took 24 yards for a touchdown.On Carolina's other three scores, McCaffrey served as a decoy with fake handoffs going his way to distract the defense, including on both of Newton's TD runs .Panthers center Ryan Kalil said McCaffrey's quickness makes him dangerous — and an ideal player to block for."He has great vision and great patience and he knows how to hit those holes," Kalil said. "He has a lot of pride during the week and it obviously paid off."Said McCaffrey: "I don't think a whole lot as soon as the ball is in my hands. I kind of just try and feel everything out. Once you know where everybody's going, it can kind of slow down for you."The one area where McCaffrey has struggled is near the goal line.He's yet to score a touchdown and has had difficulty moving the pile in short-yardage situations. The Panthers are turning more and more to the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Newton to get the ball into the end zone.But everywhere else, McCaffrey is proving to be hard to stop.McCaffrey is quick to deflect praise to his makeshift offensive line, which has been forced to play without three starters, including second-team All-Pro right tackle Daryl Williams."I think it obviously starts up front," McCaffrey said. "Those guys did an absolute unbelievable job all day getting after their guys and they continue to do it all game long. When we can get in a rhythm running the ball it opens everything up." Tavon Austin never really had a fresh start with a new coach in Los Angeles because of a wrist injury that plagued him and a hamstring that popped before the last of five disappointing seasons with the Rams.The eighth overall pick in the 2013 draft believes the opportunity has arrived through a trade to the Dallas Cowboys and the health that Austin hoped would come with it. Having something to prove is nothing new for the 5-foot-8 hybrid receiver/returner/runner."There's always going to be a chip on my shoulder Youth Ezekiel Elliott Jersey , No. 1 because I've always been small," Austin said. "I had the same thing coming out, when I went No. 8. So the chip's always going to be there regardless. But last year was a little hard, my injury and I didn't get a fair chance over there."At first, Austin really didn't know what to make of the draft-day deal that sent a sixth-round pick to LA. He had largely been a spectator when the Rams ended a 12-year playoff drought in the first season under offensive-minded coach Sean McVay.Austin's first conversation with owner Jerry Jones boosted his spirits, and he later told reporters he was close to a recovery from ligament damage in his left wrist. He hasn't missed a day at training camp as part of a revamped group of targets for quarterback Dak Prescott.While he played in all 16 games for the NFC West champions with nine starts, Austin had just 13 catches for 47 yards. Most of his work was as a runner (59 carries, 270 yards and his only touchdown). Most of his time was spent on the bench."Last year was the first time I had hit rock bottom dealing with an injury and the media bashing me saying I couldn't do it," said Austin, who had 1,689 yards and 12 touchdowns receiving and 1,238 yards and nine TDs rushing with the Rams, who were in St. Louis when they drafted him."But I stayed true to myself and I knew what happened to me. I wasn't a person to cry or point fingers or find any sympathy. If I went out there, I went out there. I thought I was ready, so that's what it was."Austin tries to stay out of the spotlight after practices at camp, only occasionally stopping for interviews. The 28-year-old is soft-spoken and reserved http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cole-beasley-jersey , but quick with a smile once he gets to talking.The Cowboys signed a pair of free agents in Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson, dumped franchise touchdown receptions leader Dez Bryant in a cost-cutting move and drafted Michael Gallup in the third round, a day before the trade for Austin.The change of scenery offered Austin the rare chance to fill a leadership void despite being new to Dallas. Not only are the Cowboys likely to have four new receivers on the 53-man roster, they have a new coach at the position as well."He's that veteran guy that I don't know that I've really had that I can say, 'Hey, get them to do this,'" receivers coach Sanjay Lal said. "Because even in the walkthrough, he's working through his footwork, he's sinking his hips, which is how you build muscle memory. Don't waste these reps."The way Austin sees it, he didn't get Lal's attention by doing anything unusual."I've never been a captain of a team," Austin said. "But people always listen just because of my work ethic. When I'm out there just talking, I'm having fun and No. 2 just competing. It's just in me. I definitely will take the role on being in leadership."He'll also take the role of coming out of the backfield — assuming that happens at some point. With almost as many carries (184) as catches (194) in his career, Austin figures to remain a hybrid back. The Cowboys just haven't shown much of the backfield component in camp."You can call him whatever you want to call him," coach Jason Garrett said. "He's obviously very quick. He's very fast. We're comfortable lining him up as a receiver outside or inside and certainly in the backfield as well. He's done all those things."Now Austin gets to try them with that elusive fresh start.