Clyde Edwards-Helaire

Edwards-Helaire never returned last year after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 11 -- he didn't come off IR until the Super Bowl, and then he was inactive. His opportunities dried up long before then. Edwards-Helaire was a high-volume pass catcher at LSU, but Kansas City mostly tried to feature him as a rushing specialist, then pulled the plug when it didn't work. The Chiefs declined to pick up his fifth-year option for 2024, so a trade might be better for both sides. Edwards-Helaire was always small (5-7, 207) and slow (4.60 40), so it's perhaps odd Chiefs the chose a running role for him. He is not as fast or strong as Isiah Pacheco, and it seems unlikely the Chiefs will give CEH an opportunity to displace Jerick McKinnon as the passing-down back. It may take an injury or two for Edwards-Helaire to find playing time in Kansas City.

Consecutive 100-yard rushing performances in Weeks 3 and 4 made it look like Edwards- Helaire was headed for a breakout in 2021, but instead a knee injury suffered the following week against the Bills derailed his momentum, and the 2020 first-round pick never got back on track after spending the next five games on the shelf. Kansas City elected to scale back his workload in the second half, but even that didn't keep him healthy as a broken collarbone cost him the final two games of the regular season and the team's first playoff contest. When he's 100 percent, Edwards-Helaire has the agility and vision to be effective in Andy Reid's scheme, along with the receiving skills to stay on the field in all situations. He could have more chances in the passing game this year after former backfield mate Darrel Williams left for Arizona, though the addition of Ronald Jones in KC represents a threat to Edwards-Helaire's usage on early downs. The incumbent will head into training camp atop the depth chart, but a nearly even split of touches between Jones and Edwards-Helaire when both are in the lineup wouldn't be a surprise.

Big things were expected from Edwards-Helaire when he was selected by the defending Super Bowl champions at the end of the first round last year, and the hype only grew after he rushed for 138 yards in his NFL debut. The overall results didn't quite meet expectations, however, as he enjoyed a couple other big performances — including a 161-yard effort against the Bills in Week 6 — before slumping mid-season and later missing Weeks 16-17 and one playoff game with a high-ankle sprain. Still, Edwards-Helaire should be a good fit for Andy Reid's scheme long-term, compensating for average speed (4.60 40) with an impressive combination of power, contact balance, elusiveness and receiving skills. Plus, it's impossible for defenses to key on him, given all the other threats in the Kansas City offense. His touch volume could also grow significantly in 2021, as the Chiefs released Damien Williams (2020 opt out) and brought in only Jerick McKinnon to replace Le'Veon Bell. While McKinnon and Darrel Williams could take away third-down work, neither is a threat to Edwards-Helaire's status as the lead runner and likely goal-line back. Patrick Mahomes will still take a huge share of the offense's volume, but we've already seen Damien Williams and Kareem Hunt enjoy highly productive stretches in pass-happy, high-efficiency Reid/Mahomes attacks. Edwards-Helaire could be the next KC back to shine, running behind a remade O-line led by former Ravens OT Orlando Brown and former Patriots LG Joe Thuney.

If any player could be said to have hit the jackpot in the 2020 NFL Draft, it's Edwards-Helaire. Selected by the Chiefs at the end of the first round, the dynamic running back moves from one championship squad to another after he helped LSU to an undefeated season in 2019. At 5-7, 207, Edwards-Helaire was widely seen as the best receiving back in this year's draft class, but he's far from one-dimensional as his power, low center of gravity, elusiveness and vision make him difficult to bring to the ground. Another back with a similar skill set, Brian Westbrook, thrived under Andy Reid in Philadelphia, and CEH seems likely to see a significant role right away in Kansas City's supercharged offense, given the draft capital used to acquire him. Damien Williams initially remained atop the depth chart, but his decision to opt out of the 2020 season could leave Edwards-Helaire unchallenged for the lead backfield role. The upside scenario probably looks similar to what Kareem Hunt did for the Chiefs in 2017 and 2018.