Clyde Edwards-Helaire

The NFL season kicks in under one week, as the Baltimore Ravens are set to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, and Andy Reid has clarified the status of Samaje Perine, Juju Smith-Schuster, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Hollywood Brown. Both Perine and Smith-Schuster are recent additions with Perine being claimed off of waivers from the Denver Broncos and Smith-Schuster signing off the street earlier this week, but they are both acclimated and available to take snaps in needed on Thursday against the Ravens. Unfortunately for Hollywood Brown, the shoulder injury he suffered week one of the preseason will keep him out of week one of the regular season. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was placed on the NFI list and will miss at least the first four games to start the season.

Perine projects to compete for back up running back touches with Carson Steele, but the veteran has a lot of experience in both catching out of the backfield and pass protection. It’s entirely possible Perine carves out a role similar to what Jerick McKinnon used to bring the team ,but don’t count on that right out of the gate. As for Smith-Schuster, his familiarity with the offense is a plus as far as getting him up to speed goes, but still don’t expect his snap counts to be substantial unless the Chiefs receivers get decimated by injuries.

Brown suffered a dislocated sternoclavicular shoulder joint in the Chiefs week one preseason game and was originally slated to miss 4-6 weeks. The Chiefs opening game comes just shy of four weeks from the initial injury so his lack of availability at the moment should come as no surprise. Weeks two and three however become interesting and will be worth monitoring. Luckily for Brown and the Chiefs, they get 10 days to rest up for their week two game. Brown’s absence gives an immediate boost to Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice as both have chemistry already built with Patrick Mahomes and he can lean on both as Xavier Worthy grows and Holloywood Brown works his way back.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s 2024 fantasy outlook is currently overshadowed by significant personal and professional challenges. The Kansas City Chiefs running back has missed two consecutive practices due to illness, which he later disclosed as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Edwards-Helaire’s candidness about his mental health struggles and the impact of cyclic vomiting syndrome is both brave and sobering. His ongoing battle with these conditions, combined with the support he’s receiving from the Chiefs’ medical staff, is a reminder of the human side of professional athletes and the unseen hurdles they face.

On the field, Edwards-Helaire is competing for a role behind starter Isaiah Pacheco. This season, he’s been sharing reps with Deneric Prince and former rugby player Louis Rees-Zammit, indicating that his position on the depth chart is far from secure. Despite being a first-round pick in 2020, Edwards-Helaire’s career has been marked by inconsistency and missed opportunities due to injuries and other setbacks. With 1,845 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns over four seasons, his fantasy production has been sporadic, and he now finds himself in a more crowded and competitive backfield.

Given all this, Edwards-Helaire’s fantasy value is up in the air. While he has shown flashes of potential, his recent health issues and the increased competition for touches make him a risky pick. Fantasy gamers should approach him with caution, primarily viewing him as a backup or insurance policy. As the season progresses, keeping an eye on his recovery and role in the Chiefs’ offense will be crucial for those considering him in their fantasy leagues.

The Kansas City Chiefs made some massive changes on offense to get back to their explosive ways from previous years.  Last year they relied on their defense and Mahomes to be special in key moments to bring home their second consecutive Lombardi.  Many of those changes have garnered attention amongst fans of the team and fantasy managers.  One change of note as the Chiefs get training camp underway has been in the running back depth chart so far.  Former first round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire seems to be getting 3rd team reps, while 2nd year back Deneric Prince has been getting the backup work behind starter Isaiah Pacheco.

Deneric Prince appeared in 2 games for the Chiefs last year after spending much of the year on their practice squad. Prince did not record a carry in those two games. Despite bringing CEH back on a 1 year deal, Prince has earned a vote of confidence from the team to be the first man up when they want to spell the starter, Isaiah Pacheco.  Prince is going undrafted on underdog and is definitely worth an add in any dynasty format.

The Kansas City Chiefs have re-signed RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire to a one-year deal. The Chiefs former lead back took a back seat to the emerging running back Isaiah Pacheco back in 2022, and it was looking like CEH was on his way out of Kansas City. After declining his fifth-year option, it came as a surprise to some that the Chiefs decided to retain their former first round draft pick.

The Chiefs lock in a key piece of depth that knows the system and has been a proven contributor in the past. The Chiefs also brought in free-agent running back J.K Dobbins for a visit on Tuesday, potentially adding another key depth piece to that running back room.