One of the rookies who has received the most hype ahead of the 2020 NFL season is Clyde Edwards-Helaire of the Kansas City Chiefs. After being taken with the No. 32 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Edwards-Helaire is quickly thrust into a high-octane offense of the Chiefs. As a result, the rookie rusher is expected to be a fantasy football star this season.
Just a season ago, while Kansas City hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, Damien Williams was the team's leading rusher. Williams, who played a vital role for the Chiefs in the postseason, rushed for a mere 498 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
However, Williams has opted out of the upcoming season due to the concerns surrounding COVID-19. Barring an injury, Edwards-Helaire can easily surpass Williams' numbers from last season.
In his final collegiate season at LSU in 2019, Edwards-Helaire galloped for 1,414 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. The versatile running back also flashed his ability as a receiver, catching 55 passes for 453 yards and another touchdown.
Seeing that he's able to contribute on the ground and through the air, Edwards-Helaire is poised to have a stellar rookie campaign in 2020. So what does the fantasy football outlook for Edwards-Helaire look like for the Chiefs in the 2020 NFL season?
2019 stats
Once again, to finish his tenure at LSU, Edwards-Helaire put together a spectacular season in 2019 for the Tigers. The 5-foot-7 running back would finish as the 15th leading rusher in the NCAA with 1,414 rushing yards.
At the same time, Edwards-Helaire was a weapon in the passing game for LSU, totaling 1,867 yards from scrimmage. Serving as a viable receiving option for Joe Burrow, Edwards-Helaire was ninth in the NCAA in scrimmage yards.
While Burrow had a truly historic season under center, Edwards-Helaire deserves a lot of credit for LSU's offensive success in 2019. Without his dual-threat ability, LSU's offense wouldn't have been as well-rounded as it was.
After starting for the college football National Champions, Edwards-Helaire will now start for the reigning Super Bowl Champions. With Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback, the rookie first-round pick will be quickly thrown into positive situations with the Chiefs.
Of course, Kansas City's passing attack of Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman, and Sammy Watkins could limit Edwards-Helaire's ceiling as a rookie. Still, the explosive rusher is gearing up to be a must-have option in fantasy football.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Fantasy Football Outlook
At the time this article is being written, Clyde Edwards-Helaire is one of the first running backs off of the board in fantasy football drafts. Furthermore, the first-year running back is selected on average with the 10th pick in drafts, according to MyFantasyLeague.com. As a result, he's currently the sixth running back being drafted.
The only running backs going ahead of Clyde Edwards-Helaire are Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, Alvin Kamara, and Dalvin Cook. Provided that, Edwards-Helaire has quite the expectations to live up to in 2020. But the thing is, Edwards-Helaire can definitely reach — or even exceed — those expectations for the Chiefs.
Again, with Williams opting out, Clyde Edwards-Helaire should command a heavy workload as a rookie. Besides Kansas City's first-round selection, DeAndre Washington, Darwin Thompson, and Darrell Williams are the other running backs on the roster. With Washington being Mahomes' college teammate, he's the only one that could possibly cut into Edwards-Helaire's divvy of touches.
If Clyde Edwards-Helaire does get the nod as the starter, which is expected, he has a clear chance to thrive in fantasy football this season. And if you're someone that dabbles in dynasty fantasy football leagues, there's an argument to be had that he's the most valuable running back to have moving forward.
2020 final projections: 220 carries, 1,025 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns
45 receptions, 380 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns
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