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Should you draft your favorite KC Chiefs in fantasy football?

By Lyle Graversen

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 01: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs jokes with Clyde Edwards-Helaire #25 on the sidelines during their NFL game against the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium on November 01, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 01: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs jokes with Clyde Edwards-Helaire #25 on the sidelines during their NFL game against the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium on November 01, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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ORCHARD PARK, NY – OCTOBER 19: A.J. Klein #54 of the Buffalo Bills looks to make a tackle on Clyde Edwards-Helaire #25 of the Kansas City Chiefs as he runs the ball during the second half at Bills Stadium on October 19, 2020 in Orchard Park, New York. Kansas City beat Buffalo 26-17. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – OCTOBER 19: A.J. Klein #54 of the Buffalo Bills looks to make a tackle on Clyde Edwards-Helaire #25 of the Kansas City Chiefs as he runs the ball during the second half at Bills Stadium on October 19, 2020 in Orchard Park, New York. Kansas City beat Buffalo 26-17. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /

Where should you target Clyde Edwards-Helaire?

In general, top fantasy running backs go fast in drafts and getting a back that is a safe bet for lots of touches in a good offense is a prized commodity. That thinking led to KC’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire being a first or early second round pick last season. Clyde didn’t produce at that level and that has led to his draft stock being significantly lower this season. This may be something that Chiefs fans can use to their advantage.

I should confess that I believe CEH will have a more productive second season. He is fully healthy after being a little banged up last season and I think he’ll see a more carries, more receptions, and an increase in the disappointing five touchdowns he scored last season. Even believing that to be true, I would not jump the gun and draft Edwards-Helaire in the first two rounds. His rankings and average draft position right now are sitting around #30 overall. That means as long as you aren’t playing with a bunch of Chiefs fans that are going to push up his draft stock, you should be able to get him in the third round of most drafts.

I love the idea of getting Clyde as my #2 running back in the third round this season. If I can land an elite running back and wide receiver with my first two picks and still get him in the third, I am feeling pretty good about how my team is shaping up. The key here is to not reach for him before that. You build a winning fantasy team by drafting guys that outperform their draft slot. If you take CEH in the late first/early second the best case scenario is he lives up to that draft slot, but if you get him in the third/fourth round then his best case scenario is he outperforms that slot and gives your team an advantage.

That having been said, if running backs start flying off the board early in your draft and you feel like you have to take Edwards-Helaire in the second round to ensure you don’t have a gaping hole at running back (assuming you didn’t take one in the first round), I don’t hate that pick, but if that many running backs are flying off the board there is also a chance that one of the top receivers is still on the board and you can get value there. My bottom line with CEH this season is I like trying to get him in the third round to get some value out of what I think will be a better 2021 fantasy season for him.

Finally, let’s talk a little about Mecole Hardman.

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