Clyde Edwards-Helaire nominated for FedEx Ground Player of Week

Clyde Edwards-Helaire was nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week for Week 1.

After a dazzling display of agility, vision, and balance in his debut with the Kansas City Chiefs, rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been nominated as a finalist for the FedEx Ground Player of the Week for Week 1 in the NFL.

Edwards-Helaire helped lead the Chiefs to a dominant victory over the Houston Texans in primetime on Thursday Night Football with 138 rushing yards and 1 touchdown on 25 carries. Expectations were high for the Louisiana State product but few would have anticipated the sort of overall impact (and workload) in his first game with the Chiefs.

The first round pick of the Chiefs this past spring, Edwards-Helaire was called a “perfect fit” for Andy Reid‘s offense even before he was ever selected. Several mock drafts considered Edwards-Helaire a possible early pick for general manager Brett Veach, and after the official selection, team executives and coaches didn’t even try to hide their excitement as he drew pro comparisons to Brian Westbrook, Darren Sproles, and Maurice Jones-Drew.

Just like Kareem Hunt two seasons ago, Edwards-Helaire’s explosive performance was made possible in part by a preseason injury. Hunt had a record-breaking debut after Spencer Ware was lost for the season in 2018. This year, veteran back Damien Williams decided to opt out for the 2020 season, leaving the Chiefs without a tandem partner for Edwards-Helaire that made sense. Darrel Williams received some carries, but it’s clear that CEH is the lead back this season.