Darwin Thompson has outside shot at being Chiefs Week 1 starter

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Darwin Thompson has a real chance at grabbing the starting running back spot out of the preseason.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie sixth-round pick Darwin Thompson has made his presence felt throughout training camp, establishing himself as one of the best running backs of the preseason.

It may sound like a cliché, but Thompson has all the makings of becoming a starting back in the National Football League. His speed, balance and receiving skills alone already make him a great option in a deep group of backs. Fans have been given small tastes of Thompson’s skills through the first two weeks of the preseason.

The NFL preseason may not be the real, aggressive football we are used to seeing during the regular season. However, it is a time for the younger guys to make a name for themselves, and Thompson has done just that. According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, he has already leap-frogged Carlos Hyde on the roster, who was seen as the team’s backup running back to Damien Williams.

As seen in this tweet by Pro Football Focus, Thompson has wheels. His elusiveness throughout the preseason is Top 3 in the league. That elusiveness, coupled with his speed, balance and receiving skills, could lead to a surprise as the team’s starting running back.

Earlier in the offseason, Damien Williams’ position as the starting running back seemed to be solidified. This commitment had wavered though, as the offseason progressed. That likely may not have so much to do with Thompson as it does a string of injuries that Williams has been unable to shake throughout the offseason and early preseason. He has yet to take a snap in the preseason; all the while, Thompson has shown out in the first two games.

With 9 rushing attempts for 52 yards, and an average of 5.8 yards/carry, Thompson has shown that he can deliver when necessary. The more likely scenario is that Thompson will end up serving as the team’s backup for a few weeks into the regular season. There is just too much talent and potential talent, however, for him to not see the ball. His ceiling appears to be much higher than Williams’.

It may be interesting to note that Thompson mirrors the measurables of one of the league’s greatest running backs of all time. Thompson and Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders are both listed at 5’8″, 200~ pounds. While Thompson did not test as fast on the 40-yard dash, his game speed is impressive. This is not to say he will imitate the style of Sanders or even come close to that level of success. Rather, the potential and the size is there.

Thompson is not a small back, regardless of his height. His style is aggressive. His build is imposing. He seeks contact rather than avoids it, a characteristic in direct contrast to Sanders.

His low center of gravity only helps him churn out yards, fighting through contact and breaking tackles, as seen in the video.

It might sound silly, but there’s an outside chance that Thompson could end up starting for the Chiefs by Week 1. After starting out as the fourth running back on the team’s depth chart, he has hopped, skipped, and ran his way up to being the No. 2 running back.

Whether or not he is able to take the leap to the starting running back role is completely up to how he is able to utilize his abilities over the next two weeks—and, of course, the coaching staff. Whatever the case may be, though, Thompson has undeniable talent and is learning from the best in offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and running backs coach Deland McCollough.