Breaking down KC Chiefs key injuries from Week 11
By Matt Conner
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, running back, ankle injury
It’d be easy for a lot of Chiefs Kingdom to shrug at this injury—at least at its on-field impact—but the loss of Clyde Edwards-Helaire still matters as it affects the Chiefs in a number of ways.
There’s no denying that Edwards-Helaire makes far less of an offensive impact than he should as a former first-round pick—and one of the very rare ones that Brett Veach has actually kept and used—but that doesn’t mean he’s without value at all (or that the loss of him on the field doesn’t make a difference).
Edwards-Helaire is still a well-rounded back who can be a solid sub coming into the game to help keep the rotation fresh and his hands out of the backfield are a solid asset. Don’t forget just how much the Chiefs appreciated Edwards-Helaire in the first few weeks of this season when he was responsible for 5 touchdowns in the first 4 games and looked like he was ready to break out for a career year.
The Chiefs proved early in the game against the Chargers that they’re still going to call on Edwards-Helaire even as Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon have solidified their standing as the primary tandem. As the season wears on, depth is more important than ever and the Chiefs will want to see CEH return as soon as possible.