The Kansas City Chiefs will kick off the 2023 NFL season Thursday with a matchup against the Detroit Lions at home. The big news surrounding this game is the status of Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce, who is dealing with a knee injury. With Kelce’s status up in the air, the Chiefs could rely heavily on other skill players to get through the season opener. Could running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire be one of those players?
Fantasy Football analysis: Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
The running back has not really been a factor in the preseason, and has quickly fallen out of favor with the Chiefs in terms of touches. He’s clearly slotted in as the third back behind Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon. He’s not a major factor in the receiving game either, although he did have three touchdown receptions in 2022.
Start or sit in Week 1 PPR leagues?
If Kelce is unable to suit up, the Chiefs are going to have to use everything in their bag to get this victory. Edwards-Helaire could see some touches if Kansas City decides to use formations with multiple running backs. Say what you want about his production, but Edwards-Helaire knows the niche tweaks of this offense better than Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore. He doesn’t exactly have the confidence of the coaches, but one or two moments of brilliance can change that.
If you’re in a league with 10 or 12 teams, you have no reason to start Edwards-Helaire. If you are in a league with 14 teams, he might be worth a play. If you’re in a league with 16 or more teams, Edwards-Helaire can be a decent flex option.
Start or sit in Week 1 standard leagues?
It’s hard to know exactly how Edwards-Helaire would get touches, so PPR vs. standard might not matter much. The running back is unlikely to have a heavy workload in any case, so the same logic as above applies. In leagues with 10 or 12 teams, Edwards-Helaire probably shouldn’t even be on your bench. He’s a dart throw in a 14-team league, while having more flex value in leagues with 16 or more teams.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Edwards-Helaire
If you look at the players projected to be ahead of Edwards-Helaire, they are all dart throws with lots of unknowns. Ezekiel Elliott, Devin Singletary, Chase Claypool and Chuba Hubbard are all in this band of players. Edwards-Helaire offers more value than Hubbard or Claypool, but Elliott and Singletary should be played ahead of him.