Edwards-Helaire is a former first-round pick in the NFL Draft but he shouldn't be taken in Fantasy drafts until Round 10 this year. In fact, it's unclear exactly what his role will be. Isiah Pacheco appears locked in as the primary early-downs back and Jerick McKinnon has returned to play on passing downs. While Edwards-Helaire's season did end because of an injury in Week 11, the writing was on the wall before that. His snap percentage peaked at 56% in Week 4 and then fell every subsequent week, bottoming out at 6% in Week 10. He'll likely need an injury or a new team before he's a Fantasy starter again.
Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Scores with increased workload
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Edwards-Helaire had 15 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown while adding a reception for two yards in Sunday's 41-10 win over Chicago.
Edwards-Helaire saw his workload increase drastically after receiving just seven combined carries over his previous two contests. The increase in playing time wasn't a result of the blowout, with his trip to the end zone coming early in the second quarter while Kansas City was still building its lead. Isiah Pacheco (hamstring) suited up after being labeled a game-time decision, so perhaps the uncertainty regarding his availability during the practice week led the coaching staff to scheme more plays for CEH against Chicago. Even if Edwards-Helaire maintains his newfound role against the Jets next Sunday, this week's volume of touches is unlikely to repeat in more competitive matchups.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Gets three touches Week 2
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Edwards-Helaire carried once for zero yards and secured his two targets for 17 receiving yards in Sunday's 17-9 win over the Jaguars.
For the second week in a row, Edwards-Helaire finished a distant third behind Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon among the Chiefs' running backs in both snaps (10) and touches (three). Edwards-Helaire is unlikely to move up the pecking order while all three backs are available, but he could have a chance at securing a larger role if the hamstring injury that is keeping Pacheco out of practice Wednesday prevents him from playing this weekend against the Bears.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Suits up versus Jaguars
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Edwards-Helaire (illness) is listed as active for Sunday's game against the Jaguars.
An illness prevented Edwards-Helaire from practicing Wednesday and Friday, but he'll be available Sunday to work in a complementary role in a Week 2 backfield that figures to be led by Isiah Pacheco, with Jerick McKinnon on hand to provide pass-catching/change of-pace support. In that context, Edwards-Helaire profiles as a hit-or-miss fantasy option versus Jacksonville.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Questionable after DNP on Friday
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Edwards-Helaire (illness) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game in Jacksonville after being unable to practice Friday.
Edwards-Helaire didn't practice Wednesday or Friday, but he logged a full session Thursday in between. Per Adam Teicher of ESPN, Kansas City will likely promote either La'Mical Perine or Deneric Prince from the practice squad to join lead back Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon in the backfield if Edwards-Helaire is unable to suit up Sunday.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Ready to play Week 2
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Edwards-Helaire (illness) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.
Edwards-Helaire sat out Wednesday's session entirely while he was under the weather, but after taking every rep in practice a day later, he's good to go for Sunday's game at Jacksonville. In the Chiefs' season-opening loss to the Lions, Edwards-Helaire played 14 snaps en route to carrying six times for 22 yards and adding a seven-yard reception while Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon logged 31 and 20 snaps, respectively. Edwards-Helaire will likely be ticketed for a change-of-pace role once again Week 2.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Returning to practice
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Edwards-Helaire (illness) is slated to return to practice Thursday, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports.
An illness kept Edwards-Helaire out of Wednesday's practice, but the running back's looming return to the field has him on track to be available Sunday against the Jaguars. In the Chiefs' Week 1 loss to the Lions, Edwards-Helaire logged 14 snaps, while Isiah Pacheco was out there for 31 snaps and Jerick McKinnon recorded 20. In the process, Edwards-Helaire carried six times for 22 yards and caught one pass for seven yards.
Edwards-Helaire isn't practicing Wednesday due to an illness, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports.
Edwards-Helaire still has plenty of time to rest up and recover from the ailment before the Chiefs play in Jacksonville on Sunday. In Kansas City's Week 1 loss to Detroit, Edwards-Helaire recorded six carries for 22 yards and one catch for seven yards while working behind Isiah Pacheco along with Jerick McKinnon.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Records 29 total yards in loss
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Edwards-Helaire rushed six times for 22 yards and secured his only target for seven yards in the Chiefs' 21-20 loss to the Lions on Thursday night.
Edwards-Helaire trailed backfield mate Isiah Pacheco by two carries, and neither back was able to find any appreciable running room against what appears to be an improved Lions run defense. The 24-year-old seems set to operate in a complementary role to Pacheco this season and perhaps share some pass-catching duties with Jerick McKinnon, but it will be interesting to see how the timeshare on early downs continues to evolve during a Week 2 road matchup against the Jaguars a week from Sunday.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Week 1 Waiver Priority List
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Isiah Pacheco and McKinnon should be the top two running backs on the depth chart in Kansas City, but Edwards-Helaire will also play a prominent role. We know the Chiefs aren't committed to Edwards-Helaire long-term, but they will use him this season. Keep in mind that Edward-Helaire scored at least 14.9 PPR points in each of the first four games in 2022, and he's worked with the starting group plenty in practice in training camp. He's worth a late-round flier in all leagues and worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Gets first opportunity again
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Edwards-Helaire carried the ball one time for minus-3 yards in Saturday's 33-32 preseason win over the Browns.
Edwards-Helaire was the first back on the field and got a carry on Kansas City's first offensive play. That was his only opportunity, though it was still noteworthy given that both Jerick McKinnon and Isiah Pacheco also suited up and took the field. All three backs mixed in on the Chiefs' opening possession, suggesting that the backfield could be a rotation to begin the regular season.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Gets five touches
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Edwards-Helaire rushed three times for seven yards and caught both of his targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 26-24 preseason loss to the Saints.
Edwards-Helaire started at tailback with Isiah Pacheco (hand/shoulder) sitting out Kansas City's exhibition opener. The 2020 first-round pick garnered all of his touches on Kansas City's first two drives before Deneric Prince got the call, and the rookie UDFA rushed four times for 14 yards. With Jerick McKinnon also on the roster, the defending Super Bowl champs boast a strong stable of running backs heading into the upcoming campaign.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Option not picked up
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Kansas City declined Edwards-Helaire's fifth-year option for 2024, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.
Injuries have prevented Edwards-Helaire from building on a rookie season in which he led the team with 803 rushing yards. During the 2022 campaign, the 2020 first-rounder lost the starting job to seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco and rushed for just 302 yards in 10 games before suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 11 against the Chargers, ending his regular season. Edwards-Helaire's fifth-year option would have been fully guaranteed at $5.46 million, but now he's a candidate to enter free agency in 2024. He figures to work behind Pacheco in a Kansas City backfield that also includes Jerick McKinnon, who the team re-signed Tuesday.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Unlikely to get fifth-year option
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Chiefs GM Brett Veach said Thursday that the team will wait until after the NFL Draft to make a decision on Edwards-Helaire's fifth-year option, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.
It's possible the Chiefs have already made a decision internally, as it seems unlikely they'd pick up the option after the 2020 first-round pick missed 14 regular-season games the past two years and saw his role diminished even when healthy in 2022. That doesn't mean Edwards-Helaire can't be part of the team's backfield plan for 2023, but it does mean the Chiefs are unlikely to guarantee him a $5.46 million salary for 2024. The fifth-year-option deadline for 2020 first-rounders is May 3, four days after the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Sitting out Super Bowl
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Edwards-Helaire (coach's decision) is listed as inactive for Super Bowl LVII against the Eagles on Sunday.
Sidelined since suffering a high-ankle sprain Week 11, Edwards-Helaire had a chance to return to action for the Super Bowl when the Chiefs activated him from injured reserve Monday. That said, the team will continue to roll with the combination of Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon out of the backfield, relegating Edwards-Helaire to a healthy scratch Sunday. Behind Pacheco and McKinnon, Ronald Jones also will be available to Kansas City's offense.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Comes off IR ahead of Super Bowl
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The Chiefs activated Edwards-Helaire (ankle) off the injured reserve list Monday.
Kansas City placed Mecole Hardman (pelvis) on IR in a corresponding move. Edwards-Helaire last saw game action Week 11, but he's managed to return from his high-ankle sprain with roughly a week left to practice ahead of Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, Feb. 12. Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon have been impactful as the Chiefs' backfield leaders since Edwards-Helaire's initial injury, so it remains to be seen how touches will be distributed in the big game versus Philadelphia. The extent of Edwards-Helaire's participation in practice could be telling as to his potential workload.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Still on IR
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Edwards-Helaire (ankle) wasn't activated from IR ahead of Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Bengals.
With Edwards-Helaire, who last saw game action Week 11, still unavailable, Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon are in line to continue to pace Kansas City's ground game versus Cincinnati. Edwards-Helaire thus will target a potential return to action if the Chiefs are able to advance to the Super Bowl.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Chance to play Sunday
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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that "there's a chance" Edwards-Helaire (ankle) could be activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Bengals, Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star reports.
Edwards-Helaire, who hasn't played since suffering a high-ankle sprain during Week 11, appears to be inching toward a return to the mix as soon as this weekend after he resumed practicing with the team Jan. 17. If he's available Sunday, Edwards-Helaire would bolster a Kansas City backfield that's been led of late by Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Unlikely to return Saturday
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Coach Andy Reid said Thursday that the Chiefs are "probably not" activating Edwards-Helaire (ankle) from injured reserve ahead of Saturday's divisional-round game against the Jaguars, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports.
Edwards-Helaire has been sidelined since sustaining a high-ankle sprain back in Week 11, missing the final seven contests of the regular season as a result. After the team's first-round bye, he finally returned to practice Tuesday, but it appears he isn't quite healthy enough to get back on the active roster. Ultimately, Kansas City has until 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday to make such a decision. In the meantime, Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon and Ronald Jones will continue to man the Chiefs backfield.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Resumes practicing
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Edwards-Helaire (ankle) will practice Tuesday and has been designated for return from injured reserve, Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star reports.
Edwards-Helaire has been sidelined since late November after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Kansas City's Week 11 game against the Chargers, but following nearly two months of recovery, he's now preparing for a return to the field. In Edwards-Helaire's absences, the team has gotten quality production from the running back tandem of Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon, with Ronald Jones even scoring a touchdown in the regular-season finale, so Kansas City may not be eager to rush Edwards-Helaire back into a prominent role following a lengthy layoff. Even if the 2020 first-round pick isn't activated from IR ahead of the divisional-round game against the Jaguars on Saturday, Kansas City would still have up to two more weeks to evaluate him in practice before adding him back to the 53-man roster.
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Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Placed on IR
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The Chiefs placed Edwards-Helaire (ankle) on injured reserve Tuesday.
Edwards-Helaire will miss a minimum of four games while he receovers from a high ankle sprain, with Week 16 against Seattle representing the earliest possible date for a return. Isiah Pacheco had supplanted him in the Kansas City backfield in recent weeks anyway, but Edwards-Helaire still had a role off the bench before injuring his ankle in the second quarter of Sunday's win over the Chargers. It'll be Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon leading the way for the Chiefs the next month, and Ronald Jones may also get some chances for the first time all year.
