Clyde Edwards-Helaire is going to have a “big year” for the Chiefs.
From the moment the Kansas City Chiefs turned in a draft card with his name on it, Clyde Edwards-Helaire has generated significant buzz. From his talent to his fit with his new team, the former LSU running back has been a major talking point and fantasy football favorite for months—long before he’s even stepped onto a football field at the professional level.
Now that the Chiefs are well into training camp with less than three weeks from their home opener against the Houston Texans, the buzz around Edwards-Helaire has yet to recede. In fact, even those highest up the food chain within the Chiefs organization are predicting big things. As general manager Brett Veach recently told NFL reporter Peter King, “He’s on pace to have a big year, to be our primary ballcarrier.”
Edwards-Helaire entered the NFL as one of the most heralded backs in a deep draft class, one that also included very productive and acclaimed college backs like Jonathan Taylor, J.K Dobbins and DeAndre Swift. Because of his incredible hands out of the backfield and well-rounded skill set, the Chiefs decided to take him above all other running backs in the draft with their first-round pick at No. 32 overall.
From there, the projections about Edwards-Helaire began to inflate. The Chiefs were called an ideal landing spot for Edwards-Helaire by nearly every draft analyst. The back himself called it a “perfect fit.” A marriage made in NFL heaven.
What’s even more pronounced at this point is such predictions about Edwards-Helaire were made before his teammate Damien Williams decided to opt out for the 2020 season. Instead of slowly working his way into the lineup next to the Chiefs postseason hero in the backfield, Edwards-Helaire will be handed the job from the outset. Yes, the Chiefs have other talented backs but none with the ceiling as Edwards-Helaire.
Last season, Edwards-Helaire ran 215 times for 1,414 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 55 passes for 453 yards and 1 score for LSU in a national championship run. The Chiefs are going to give CEH plenty of touches in an already dynamic offense in order to showcase their shiny new toy in 2020. The impossible task of covering the Chiefs weapons on offense just got even tougher. Perhaps that’s why Edwards-Helaire is primed for such a “big year.”