Entering last weekend's NFL Draft, LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was ranked as the No. 80 overall player on the CBS Big Board and the No. 5 running back behind Jonathan Taylor, D'Andre Swift, JK Dobbins and Cam Akers. Clearly, the Kansas City Chiefs rated Edwards-Helaire a bit differently as they selected him with the final pick of the first round and as the first running back off the board. Edwards-Helaire is a +600 moneyline second-favorite at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Edwards-Helaire probably couldn't have gone to a better spot because no one uses a running back to his strengths better than Chiefs coach Andy Reid. Brian Westbrook was a fantasy football superstar under Reid back in those Eagles days, not so much as a workhorse running back but a change-of-pace guy and terrific receiver out of the backfield. Chiefs GM Brett Veach has said Edwards-Helaire "reminds me of Brian Westbrook."
Last year for the national champion Tigers, Edwards-Helaire did it all, rushing for 1,414 yards and 16 touchdowns on 215 carries while catching 55 passes for 453 yards and a score. He was widely considered the best pass-catching back in the Class of 2020.
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Edwards-Helaire became the 10th LSU running back drafted since 2009 and first since Derrius Guice went No. 59 overall to the Redskins in 2017. Guice missed his entire rookie season due to injury and was hurt against last year and limited to five games.
One key to betting on Offensive Rookie of the Year is finding guys who are going to play a lot. Kansas City already has a good all-around back in Damien Williams. Veach spoke to Pro Football Talk this week and said this:
"I certainly think it's going to be a shared load," Veach said. "Damien has been in this offense for a long time and certainly has shown what he can do on that playoff run. The guy's a really good pass protector [and] can catch the football. I mean, both these guys can run and catch and certainly Damien will come in as the starting running back and Clyde will have to come in here and compete for playing time, which we think he'll do. But I think it will be a one-two punch."
Believe it or not, no Chiefs player has won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Patrick Mahomes didn't … how is that possible?! Remember, he sat behind Alex Smith as a rookie and only played in Week 17 in 2017.
