As we enter Week 1 in fantasy football this year, we have an enigma for the Kansas City Chiefs running back room. The enigma would be undrafted rookie Carson Steele. Now, don’t get too crazy here. We know this backfield belongs to Isiah Pacheco, but we must also entertain veteran Samaje Perine.
Can Steele produce enough fantasy points to help us create a Flex play dart throw that elevates our lineup? It’s a high-risk play but can be a high-reward player if you correctly identify his script within this game narrative.
Let’s break down what Steele should add to the Chiefs and our fantasy lineups in Week 1.
Fantasy Outlook for Carson Steele vs. Baltimore Ravens
Steele will never be a home-run hitter from the running back position. He does provide a remarkable ability to gain yards after contact, as he produced 3.85 yards in college. Taking Steele down will be a challenge for opponents, but they may not even have the chance to try.
His skill set won’t complement Pacheco in the backfield, as they have similar games, and thus, he will become a handcuff to the lead back for the Chiefs.
His strength and ability to convert on short-yardage situations may grant him access to the field when the Chiefs need a banger back to pound the rock. However, as we said before, Pacheco gives the team that same skill set.
He shouldn’t be the two-minute drill running back either, as the Chiefs have brought in veteran Perine, who excels in the passing game. Steele sits firmly as a depth piece and may see more time on special teams than on offensive snaps.
It will be hard to trust the undrafted rookie, especially in Week 1. Our rankings show that we have multiple running backs who could bring more to the table for your fantasy roster in the debut week. Steele needs to remain a stash for your roster and continue to monitor his usage within the team.
You can even let him hang out in waivers as the season progresses because we expect little value to build for Steele to start the season. We want you to reevaluate your position if you expect a higher snap percentage. Maybe Steele would be good for dynasty, but for Week 1, it’s risky.
We can’t expect him to crack our starting lineup until Steele can convince Andy Reid and the coaching staff to trust his pass-blocking and decision-making in crucial situations.