We have been wondering for a while where Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles would appear on the list of the NFL’s top 100 players and now we know.
While I know some folks will be disappointed in this ranking for Charles, I can see why he ended up here. We all know how great Charles is because we are Chiefs fans, but the rest of the league is still kind of finding out about him. Remember, he only played significant snaps in half the season in 2009 and in 2010, while he put up a historic average, he split time with Thomas Jones. Charles also did not find the endzone a whole ton and finished second behind Arian Foster in rushing yards. We all know that Charles is likely a more effective RB than Foster but Arian had a ton of TD’s last season to go with his rushing title. Despite the fact that Charles would have blown Foster away had they received the same number of carries, I can see why other backs might get the nod on this list over Jamaal.
The important thing is that the Chiefs didn’t run Charles into the ground. While I do think he should have been given a few more carries last year, particularly in certain situations, there is no reason to be upset about that now. The Chiefs probably weren’t going to win the Super Bowl last season anyway. Now Charles has significantly less tread on his tires than a guy like Foster. That should help keep Charles’ legs fresh as the Chiefs inch closer to becoming a serious Super Bowl contender.
Charles may not be receiving the respect he deserves just yet but if the Chiefs take the next step in 2011, there is no question that Jamaal Charles will have been a big part of it. If that happens, you can bet he will be at the top of a lot of lists come this time next year.
Interestingly enough, the player introducing Charles in the video is Chargers standout LB Shaun Philips. Philips admits that when the Chargers are game-planning on how to stop the Chiefs, Charles is at the top of their list.
What do you think Addicts? Are there 32 NFL players better than Jamaal Charles?