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NFL announces FedEx Ground Player of the Year finalists

By Jeff Adcox

Dec 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) catches a 71 yard touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 56-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) catches a 71 yard touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 56-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) catches a 71 yard touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 56-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) catches a 71 yard touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 56-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

Running backs Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Forté of the Chicago Bears and LeSean McCoy of the Philadelphia Eagles are the finalists for the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year award. The winner will be determined by fan voting at www.nfl.com/fedex. Fans can cast their votes from now through Jan. 24.

Here is a closer look at the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year finalists:

Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs led the AFC in rushing for the second consecutive season. Charles had an NFL-best 19 total touchdowns (12 rushing, 7 receiving). He averaged 132 yards from scrimmage per game in 2013, the best in the AFC. Charles became the second player in NFL history to post 100+ scrimmage yards and a touchdown in each of his first seven games to begin a season. In Week 15, Charles became the first player in NFL history with four touchdown receptions and one rushing touchdown in a single game.

Matt Forté of the Chicago Bears finished second in the NFL this season with 1,339 rushing yards. He rushed for nine touchdowns and added three receiving scores to tie his career high of 12 total touchdowns. He added 594 yards on 74 receptions. Forté helped the Bears set a single-season franchise record with 6,109 total net yards in 2013. Forte, who was selected to the 2014 Pro Bowl, was nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week once his year.

LeSean McCoy of the Philadelphia Eagles won the league’s rushing title with 1,607 yards, and is first Eagle to lead the league in rushing since Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Van Buren in 1949. McCoy also led the NFL with 2,146 scrimmage yards, 79 rushing first downs and was second in the league with 102 overall first downs. McCoy rushed for 150+ yards in a franchise-high four games in 2013, while no other rusher in the NFL has done so more than once this season.

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