The preseason hype for Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire was through the roof last summer. Unfortunately, the highly touted rookie ultimately did not deliver on those lofty expectations. Edwards-Helaire had some bad luck in the red zone, dealt with injuries, and split time with Darrel Williams and Le’Veon Bell. However, the great news is that CEH is in a much better position to break out in 2021. Here are five reasons why you should target Edwards-Helaire in fantasy football drafts this summer.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s college statistical body of work
You may not remember, but Edwards-Helaire met with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy at the 2020 NFL Combine. Edwards-Helaire discovered during this conversation that the flexibility of the offense he was a part of at LSU was similar to the Chiefs’ scheme’s intricacies. As a reminder, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes also played a part in the team’s selection of Edwards-Helaire in the 2020 NFL Draft.
General manager Brett Veach texted Mahomes which player he wanted the team to select just before the draft. He responded to the text with one word: “Clyde.” Thus, Reid and Veach followed through with the recommendation from their franchise quarterback.
Reid hadn’t used this much draft capital on a running back since selecting LeSean McCoy back in 2009 when he was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Is Edwards-Helaire the next coming of LeSean McCoy?
Edwards-Helaire’s final season at LSU was both magical and breathtaking. CEH ranked ninth in the FBS with 1,867 yards from scrimmage and scored 17 total touchdowns in 15 games in 2019. Furthermore, his rushing yards rank as the third-highest single-season total in school history. He would go on to finish his college career 15th in LSU’s career rushing yards. In addition, CEH holds the school’s single-season record for a running back with 55 receptions.
Edwards-Helaire’s versatility allowed him to make plays for the Tigers as a runner and a receiver out of the backfield. His statistical contributions helped to propel LSU to its fourth national title that year.
In 2009, McCoy accumulated 945 total yards and 4 touchdowns as a rookie with the Eagles. From 2010-2014, he averaged 22 opportunities (rushing attempts plus targets), 110 total yards, and 18.6 PPR fantasy points per game.
Similarly, Edwards-Helaire finished his rookie season with 1,100 total yards and 5 touchdowns. Keep in mind that he’s only 22 years old and can still have a career arc similar to McCoy’s.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire has limited competition for touches in 2021
Did you know that Edwards-Helaire only played 59% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps last season? Splitting snaps and opportunities with Williams and Bell, CEH averaged just 18.2 opportunities per game. In just four games, Edwards-Helaire recorded 20+ opportunities.
The good news for Edwards-Helaire’s fantasy outlook in 2021 is that Bell is no longer with the team. Moreover, Damien Williams, who opted out last year, was released earlier this offseason.
A plethora of available rushing attempts and targets in 2021
The Chiefs enter the 2021 season with 70 unaccounted rushing attempts and 87 vacated targets. First and foremost, Darrel Williams should not be viewed as a threat. On the contrary, the stage is set for Edwards-Helaire to be deployed as a true three-down back in one of the most explosive offenses in the league.
The Chiefs are an offensive juggernaut
The Chiefs’ offense was constrained by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense in Super Bowl LV. However, that shouldn’t discount how productive Kansas City has been with Mahomes under center.
In 2020, the Chiefs ranked first in total yards (415) and sixth in points scored (28.5). And the scary thing is that they addressed an area of opportunity.
Retooled offensive line
The biggest offseason story for the Chiefs was their offensive line. This unit dealt with multiple injuries last season, and the offensive line’s poor performance played a significant role in the franchise failing to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
As a result, Mahomes was under duress during the entire Super Bowl. So, Veach vowed to fix the offensive line this offseason and delivered. The Chiefs started by releasing long-time tackles, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz. Then, Kansas City traded for Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Orlando Brown.
Additionally, the Chiefs signed left guard Joe Thuney and center Austin Blythe in free agency. Furthermore, Kansas City drafted Creed Humphrey in Round 2 and guard Trey Smith in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
With these new additions to combine with the linemen already on the roster, the Chiefs now have the depth to weather the storm that is the NFL season. Edwards-Helaire, meanwhile, has also been working on his hands and improving as a receiver this offseason.
Could Clyde Edwards-Helaire see an increase in targets?
This offseason, Edwards-Helaire has talked with Reid and Mahomes about using the running backs more as receivers out of the backfield in 2021. Last season, CEH registered 36 receptions for 297 yards.
Since Reid’s first season with the Chiefs back in 2013, the running back position has averaged 7.4 targets, 5.4 receptions, and 47 receiving yards per game. Combining Edwards-Helaire’s rushing ability alongside more targets as a receiver dramatically raises his fantasy ceiling in 2021.
The Bottom Line
According to Fantasy Football Calculator, Edwards-Helaire is readily available near the end of the second round in 12-team PPR formats. Other running backs in this range to consider are Joe Mixon, J.K. Dobbins, and D’Andre Swift. Still, Edwards-Helaire is tied to an elite offense and in a position to be provided a high opportunity share this season. Therefore, I would suggest selecting CEH over any of these players.
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Eric is a Senior Fantasy Analyst for Pro Football Network and a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers Association). You can read more of his work here and follow Eric on Twitter @EricNMoody.