Charcandrick West: Next great Chiefs runner?

While both compliment each other very well, my vote is on West.

West, who enters his third season in the NFL out of Abilene Christian University, might be the most elusive of anyone on the Chiefs roster.  He is able to find gaps and avoid defenders all the while still moving downfield.  He is extremely difficult to tackle as well.  His effective use of his hands to shed defenders makes it hard to get him to the ground.  West’s vision and intelligence as a runner make him even more dangerous.

All of these attributes translate to when he has to catch the football as well.  Last season, West used his elusiveness to average 10.7 yards per reception.  In fact, his biggest play of last season came on a reception, an 80-yard screen catch and run to the house in Denver.  His ability to be a dual-threat RB only adds to his ability to be a superstar.

Of course, this is all based off of what he did last year, and he didn’t even play the whole season.  He went into Week 1 third on the depth chart behind Charles and Knile Davis.  But once Charles went down and Davis was apparently demoted, it was West and Ware’s time to shine.  While both did well, West definitely showed his ability to be an offensive threat for the Chiefs.  We’ll have to see if that kind of effectiveness will be shown this season when West and the Chiefs’ three-headed rushing attack take the field.

So is West going to be the next great Chiefs running back?  Simply put, it’s far too early to tell.  He for sure has the potential to be.  If he continues the successes he had last season, who knows?  One thing is for certain, however.

If Charles gets injured again and the Chiefs have any aspirations of making the Super Bowl this season, he’s going to have to be.