Clyde Edwards-Helaire was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. When they made the decision to draft him, the Chiefs were envisioning a dual-threat backfield with Damien Williams. However, all of those plans changed when Williams decided to bow out of the 2020 season due to concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the Chiefs are going to be relying heavily on their rookie running back. He will be their starter and more than likely will be a workhorse throughout the majority of the season.
Following Williams' decision to sit out the 2020 season, a ton of hype immediately rose up around Edwards-Helaire. The expectations are high for him, with some even going so far as to say he is the favorite to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Without even getting a single preseason game in, that is a lot of hype.
In addition to the regular game, Fantasy Football players have been hyping Clyde Edwards-Helaire up as well. They have been taking him higher and higher in fantasy drafts over the last few weeks. It's always a gamble to take a rookie early in a Fantasy Football draft, but many believe that Edwards-Helaire is well worth the risk.
All of that being said, we will finally get our first look at the rookie running back when the Chiefs take on the Houston Texans in Week 1. Can he live up to all the hype that has been surrounding him of late?
Looking at the Texans' defense, there are quite a few reasons to believe that Edwards-Helaire could be in store for a big game. Houston has a ton of holes defensively and their defensive line isn't impressive. At this point in time, they have J.J. Watt, Brandon Dunn, and Charles Omenihu as their projected starters on the line.
From a linebacker perspective, the Texans have Whitney Mercilus, Benardrick McKinney, Zach Cunningham, Brennan Scarlett, and Dylan Cole. None of those guys should strike fear or force Andy Reid to run away from them.
Kansas City will look to establish their ground game early and often. The more than they can run the football, the easier it will be to take big-time shots down the field with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Travis Kelce, and Sammy Watkins.
Not only is Clyde Edwards-Helaire a talented runner, the Chiefs are also expecting a big season from him as a receiver. During the 2019 season with the LSU Tigers, Edwards-Helaire caught 55 passes for 453 yards and a touchdown. Those numbers show a big ability from the rookie as a receiver, which Reid and Mahomes will utilize quite often.
Now it is time to predict what fans and Fantasy Football players should be expecting from Edwards-Helaire in his debut against the Texans.
No one truly knows how the Chiefs are going to use their backfield. Darrel Williams could end up stealing some touches from Edwards-Helaire. However, it would be reasonable to assume that the rookie will be the starter and will receive the majority of the touches.
With that in mind, it would be reasonable to expect Edwards-Helaire to pick up around 75-100 yards on the ground and a touchdown. He should also caught five passes for 40 yards and possibly another touchdown. From a Fantasy Football perspective, that makes him worthy of playing as an RB2 or a potential FLEX option.
No one should be expecting an RB1 performance from the rookie in Week 1. It will take him some time to get completely up to speed. By the end of the season, he should be able to be in the conversation for that kind of a role on a Fantasy Football roster.
Expect to see Clyde Edwards-Helaire put together a solid game against the Texans, but don't overplay him. Take it slow and easy with him because after all, he is still a rookie.
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