Darrel Williams deserves a shot at real playing time in Kareem Hunt’s absence

Will undrafted rookie Darrel Williams see any of the workload at running back for the Kansas City Chiefs for the rest of the season?

Even during the offseason, I had high praise for former Louisiana State University running back Darrel Williams. He boasts a heavy-duty frame, weighing in at 225 lbs. and a height of 6’1″. We also know he can catch the ball, but he showcased his receiving ability in a dump off from former Chiefs quarterback Matt McGloin in a preseason game against the Houston Texans earlier this year. He tanked his way through to get some extra yardage, even if it was minimal. If there’s anything impressive about a 5-yard reception, Williams showed it.

Williams was projected to go the mid-to-late rounds in the 2018 NFL Draft by analysts, but went undrafted and was one of the highly touted undrafted free agents available following the draft. While he made the active roster, he’s been inactive on every game day but one, as the Chiefs have kept three backs active all year: Spencer Ware, Damien Williams, and Kareem Hunt. Williams was active in Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals but saw no action.

Given the recent release of starter Kareem Hunt, Ware is next in line to take over the starting role for the Chiefs, but what remains is how much playing time Williams might see in the mix?

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Williams isn’t exceptionally fast, having only run a 4.72 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. While the rest of his combine wasn’t exactly glamorous (he had just 22 bench press reps), seeing past his combine performance and realizing his talent appears to be exactly what the Chiefs did. Making up for Hunt will surely prove to be a difficult task, but with the club typically using 3 running backs for each game, will Williams finally be activated? That’s the first step.

NFL teams can only have 46 players active in a game, meaning teams must pick and choose who’s inactive for the corresponding game. Frequented names on the inactive list for the Chiefs are offensive guard Khalil McKenzie, defensive tackle Justin Hamilton, safety Eric Berry, and the aforementioned Darrel Williams. With injuries starting to clear up for the team, the club will have a slightly better hand to play as they can make room for shelving players who are low on the depth chart.

The projected inactives for Week 13, in my opinion, will most likely be Chiefs wide receiver Gehrig Dieter, tight end Deon Yelder, Kahlil McKenzie, Justin Hamilton, Eric Berry, and Sammy Watkins. Watkins is dealing with a foot injury suffered against the Cleveland Browns three weeks ago.

This means that the likelihood of Williams seeing action increases all the more. His talents deserve to be recognized, and this is a prime opportunity to showcase what he can do, even in a limited role. He is no stranger to a heavy running back rotation, as he was part of a four running back rotation during his time with LSU. Getting him into the mix, at least with a trial run against the Raiders, should hopefully prove to be a success. While their running styles are different, Ware and Williams should surely complement each other if the latter is given the chance to play.

Williams has a knack for catching the ball out of the backfield, one of the most notable plays where he does so is a collegiate game against Ole Miss, where he caught a swing pass from LSU’s quarterback to net a 63-yard reception. In addition to his receiving ability, Williams also is able to use his heavy frame to bullrush forward for decent gains, and while his agility is not exceptional, he knows how to make guys miss.

Ware, who previously started for the Chiefs before suffering an injury in training camp last year, will handle the workload for likely the remainder of the season, but I wouldn’t count Darrel Williams just yet. If the Chiefs see what I see, they will give him a chance and put him in the rotation for Sunday’s game against the Raiders.

His biggest impact will probably be on special teams, but I believe he deserves a shot to get mixed in with the offense. Against Oakland’s struggling run defense, who is allowing 151. 4 rushing yards this year (most in the NFL), he should be able to have a solid game, even as the team’s third option.