A method for content placement along the delivery path of a network of nodes in a content centric network includes receiving first and second interest packets from a downstream node, checking a content cache of a first node for the first and second data packets and, in response to the first and second data packets being absent from the content cache, checking a pending interest table of the first node for the first and second interest packets. The method also includes, in response to the first and second interest packets being absent from the pending interest table of the first node and a cache flag of the first interest packet received from the downstream node being off, performing various operations to cause the first data packet to be cached in the content cache of the first node.