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RB Darrel Williams - Arizona (1 Viewer)

Boone22

Footballguy
I guess I’ll start it.  With Hunt getting released and both Ware and Damien Williams FAs at the end of the year, Darrel might be worth an add in deep Dynasty leagues.  He didn’t do much at LSU but if you consider he was behind Fournette and Guice, it makes some sense.  Plus KC kept him as their 4th RB on the active roster rather than trying to sneak him onto the practice squad...

https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2018/9/6/17824064/why-running-back-darrel-williams-made-the-kansas-city-chiefs

Edited to add his Info from NFL Draft Profile:

Playing behind Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice limited Williams' playing time during his first three seasons in Baton Rouge. The four-star recruit and top-12 running back prospect nationally moved from quarterback to running back as a high school senior, topping 2,200 rushing yards and 32 scores on the ground. Williams managed to get 64 carries for 302 yards and three scores in 12 games as a true freshman at LSU (6 receptions, 63 yards receiving) in 2014. The following year he had similar numbers (60 carries, 296 yards, four touchdowns rushing; fur receptions, 31 yards receiving) in 12 games. With Fournette out early in 2016, Williams got two starts but ended up with fewer carries for the year (52 carries, 233 yards, three touchdowns rushing; five receptions, 37 yards receiving) with Guice becoming the workhorse.

Overview

Physical, well-built running back who opened the eyes of NFL scouts with a strong season as a replacement for, and complimentary piece to Derrius Guice. Williams has NFL size and toughness and his ability to handle short-yardage carries as well as passes out of the backfield do nothing but increase his chances of making a roster.

Strengths

Built like a bruiser and runs with good physicality

Sturdy base absorbs hits and maintains balance

Doesn't get cute

Makes decisions early and lives with them

Keeps pads square to line of scrimmage and slides from gap to gap without losing momentum when searching for the best running lane

Has good lateral jump cut to elude initial tackle attempts at the line of scrimmage

Runs under his pads with good forward lean near the goal line

Has size to be utilized as a short yardage option

Very comfortable handling swing passes and check downs and showed an ability to extend drives out of the backfield

Highly respected teammate and named a team MVP this season

Weaknesses

Doesn't feel running lanes developing, needs to see it

Burst through line of scrimmage is below average

Doesn't have the feet and instincts to sting moves together

Doesn't search for late cuts and may not be able to make them anyway

Doesn't generate as many yards after contacts as teams might like

Won't get many unexpected yards

Slow to gather and cut downhill when asked to run an outside track

Needs downhill play calls

Top heavy running style limits ability to make sharp backside cuts

 
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I picked him up.  He should at least get some action and probably settle into the #2 role if he doesn't fall on his face.

 
It's interesting they kept 4 running backs instead of risking losing this guy by putting him on the PS. I'm not saying that means much, but it doesn't mean nothing. He's going to have plenty of opportunities to become the clear backup. What he does with those is up to him, but I've gambled on lousier lottery tickets. 

 
My question is he that much better then Damian Willliams right now? 
Well he can’t really be much worse than Damien and since Damien plays special teams, it might be the reason he’s been active over Darrel up to this point... special teams utility/flexibility over talent. 

 
Unfortunately I believe his measurables are accurate and since they are that of a glorified fullback this is wishes and prayers based on a top end offense:

Senior Bowl RB Max Speeds first 2 days:
Kalen Ballage (ASU) – 19.42 MPH
Akrum Wadley (Iowa) – 19.3 MPH
Ito Smith (So. Miss.) – 19.17 MPH
Jaylen Samuels (NC State) – 19.5 MPH
Rashaad Penny (SDSU) – 18.61 MPH
Darrel Williams (LSU) – 17.7 MPH
Fastest RB in NFL in '17: L. Fournette - 22.05 MPH

 
It's interesting they kept 4 running backs instead of risking losing this guy by putting him on the PS. I'm not saying that means much, but it doesn't mean nothing. He's going to have plenty of opportunities to become the clear backup. What he does with those is up to him, but I've gambled on lousier lottery tickets. 
Doubtful, unless he’s the second coming of Arian Foster. Looks more like the second coming of Alfred Blue to me.

 
Dane Brugler posted this: 

“My favorite Williams stat from last year at LSU was he accounted for six offensive plays of 35+ yards when Guice accounted for only two with 87 more touches.”

https://twitter.com/dpbrugler/status/1068718799891791874?s=21

That does suggest the measurables may be misleading. Also it’s not like Ware or Hunt’s measured athleticism is all that great. I’m going to walk back my original statement some. I still think it’s based on KC being a top end offense.

 
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I guess I’ll start it.  With Hunt getting released and both Ware and Damien Williams FAs at the end of the year, Darrel might be worth an add in deep Dynasty leagues.  He didn’t do much at LSU but if you consider he was behind Fournette and Guice, it makes some sense.  Plus KC kept him as their 4th RB on the active roster rather than trying to sneak him onto the practice squad...
I had this same thought process pre-draft, he looked really good when he did finally get on the field, and at one point I had him on my "all-sleeper" list.  But when he went undrafted and then wasn't signed immediately after it let a lot of air out of the balloon.  If it was just that he wasn't drafted that might not be such a big deal but there is a huge storm of signings right after the draft and he wasn't part of that wave.  For him to not even be a priority UDFA was a big sign to me.

I'm going to stash him in a couple, but in a couple where the FAAB are more scarce I just can't justify burning anything on him.

 
I had this same thought process pre-draft, he looked really good when he did finally get on the field, and at one point I had him on my "all-sleeper" list.  But when he went undrafted and then wasn't signed immediately after it let a lot of air out of the balloon.  If it was just that he wasn't drafted that might not be such a big deal but there is a huge storm of signings right after the draft and he wasn't part of that wave.  For him to not even be a priority UDFA was a big sign to me.

I'm going to stash him in a couple, but in a couple where the FAAB are more scarce I just can't justify burning anything on him.
Understandable.  He’s obviously an extreme long shot so I can’t fault anything anyone’s said in this thread so far (good or bad).  He pretty much a complete unknown on a high powered offense who has a shot to be the #2RB for the team the rest of this year with things completely up in the air next year due to free agency.  So if you have a no cost roster spot to burn, he’s worth a flyer.  I dropped Trey Quin to pick him up. 

My own personal opinion is that Damien Williams is not good so I don’t see him as much of a hurdle for Darrel to get playing time. 

 
Doubtful, unless he’s the second coming of Arian Foster. Looks more like the second coming of Alfred Blue to me.


Dane Brugler posted this: 

“My favorite Williams stat from last year at LSU was he accounted for six offensive plays of 35+ yards when Guice accounted for only two with 87 more touches.”

https://twitter.com/dpbrugler/status/1068718799891791874?s=21

That does suggest the measurables may be misleading. Also it’s not like Ware or Hunt’s measures athleticism is all that great. I’m going to walk back my original statement some. I still think it’s based on KC being a top end offense.
That's some of the fastest backpedaling I've seen on these boards. 

 
Understandable.  He’s obviously an extreme long shot so I can’t fault anything anyone’s said in this thread so far (good or bad).  He pretty much a complete unknown on a high powered offense who has a shot to be the #2RB for the team the rest of this year with things completely up in the air next year due to free agency.  So if you have a no cost roster spot to burn, he’s worth a flyer.  I dropped Trey Quin to pick him up. 

My own personal opinion is that Damien Williams is not good so I don’t see him as much of a hurdle for Darrel to get playing time. 
While I don't think Williams is starting caliber RB, I do think he is good at some things.

Darrel Williams may be a similar level of player. I don't know much about him. Just because one Williams is not good does not mean that the other one is.

 
Track & field metrics can really be deceiving, especially at the RB position. Darrel Williams is a better runner than his metrics would lead you to believe.

The more I look at Williams, the more I like him. He’s still only a stash right now, but this cat has some ability. And like I mentioned earlier, the fact they kept Williams on the active roster with 3 other RBs might mean they like him quite a bit & didn’t want to risk another team signing him off their PS.

KC knew about the incident (just not all the details) & I’m thinking they essentially stashed Williams, themselves. I don’t know what to expect, but Williams seems like he’s got enough ability to surprise if given a chance. The Chiefs’ passing game makes a RB’s job much easier so there’s some upside here.

 
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  • Four star prospect as a high school senior in Louisiana, finished #2 high school running back in the state behind Fournette.
  • Chose to attend his "dream school" LSU even though it meant having a secondary role on LSU team loaded with talent.
  • Ended up earning the LSU offensive MVP award - wasn't even a starter. Ed Orgeron credited Williams' pass protection as the determining factor for the MVP, said Williams was not only the offensive MVP but the team's best pass protector.
  • Senior year averaged 5.7 yards per carry (820 yards on 145 carries w 9 TD).
  • First player in LSU history to gain both 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game.
  • Not a household name after being overshadowed by Fournette and Guice, then posting average combine numbers and went undrafted.
  • As an UDFA he had his choice on which NFL to sign with, but chose Kansas City who already had five running backs, and once again ended up in a crowded backfield. He cited his relationship and "one of a kind bond" with RB coach Deland McCullough as the reason for choosing KC.
  • In August beat out Charcandrick West and Kerywnn Williams to make the team as one of five RBs on the roster.
  • He and JD Moore are the only Chiefs' RBs under contract for next season.
 
I'm a big fan and think he can be the best of the KC stable but it's probably too late in the season to positively effect our Fantasy teams.  It'll be interesting to see if he gets his shot going into the IRL playoffs though.

 
I'm a big fan and think he can be the best of the KC stable but it's probably too late in the season to positively effect our Fantasy teams.  It'll be interesting to see if he gets his shot going into the IRL playoffs though.
I think most interested folks at this stage are dynasty players. Trying to find a gem in the off chance the Chiefs don’t go out and sign a big FA or draft someone early.

 
I think most interested folks at this stage are dynasty players. Trying to find a gem in the off chance the Chiefs don’t go out and sign a big FA or draft someone early.
Yep. The more I looked into Williams the more I liked him.

He very likely won't do anything this season, but this kid is a legit talent which is why KC didn't risk putting him on the PS.

 
He looked good on limited touches last night.

Looked very good on the catch/run/power move for TD.

I hope he gets more touches over the last couple of regular season games but I hope he flashes in the playoffs.

We need to see more of this kid.

 
Looked similar to Hunt in that he has most of his weight in his quads and he can just run right through guys when they hit him there. 

Grabbed him as a stash in multiple leagues after losing Hunt, hope they get a more extended look at him before the offseason as both Ware and Damien are free agents. 

 
Looked similar to Hunt in that he has most of his weight in his quads and he can just run right through guys when they hit him there. 

Grabbed him as a stash in multiple leagues after losing Hunt, hope they get a more extended look at him before the offseason as both Ware and Damien are free agents. 
I love what I saw from this kid. Has a lot of potential to build off. Think it's telling they played him as much as they did. 

 
Darrel Williams

Darrel Williams was a Chiefs’ undrafted rookie free agent signing in 2018 who Reid and company quickly fell in love with. He probably is single-handedly responsible for Reid breaking with tradition and keeping four running backs last season. As it turned out, the Chiefs were fortunate to have done so, but if they do so again, will Darrel Williams be afforded another chance?

The former LSU halfback was afforded 250 snaps last season but was only given 13 rushing attempts. On those, who averaged a pedestrian 3.4 yards per carry. I don’t think it matters how much the coaching staff loved him last year. I think that Darrel Williams is fighting with James Williams and an extra spot at any other place on the roster (to convince Reid to keep four backs again) this summer.
Chiefs RB roster battle preview

 
:blackdot:

With all the Darwin love, anything to see here? 
He’ll be going in the 10th by Sunday night

You wanna own a Chiefs RB in 2019? Here’s how you get in  cheap on the ground floor. You heard here first on InsidersHardCore Fantasy Football podcast...

 
He’ll be going in the 10th by Sunday night

You wanna own a Chiefs RB in 2019? Here’s how you get in  cheap on the ground floor. You heard here first on InsidersHardCore Fantasy Football podcast...
Anything information to support that claim?

 
Anything information to support that claim?
:sarcasm:

HOWEVER...

Path to relevance isn’t totally crazy now that I think about it. Hyde gets cut, he moves up to third string. Somebody turns an ankle, you now own shares in a KC RB who gets 8-10 touches. Get him for free in the 18th & save the crazy week 3 FABB bid he’d go for.

Your hat is awesome, and you’re awesome for wearing it!

 
:sarcasm:

HOWEVER...

Path to relevance isn’t totally crazy now that I think about it. Hyde gets cut, he moves up to third string. Somebody turns an ankle, you now own shares in a KC RB who gets 8-10 touches. Get him for free in the 18th & save the crazy week 3 FABB bid he’d go for.

Your hat is awesome, and you’re awesome for wearing it!
If Hyde gets cut, Williams needs to be owned in most formats.  Keep in mind that despite all the hoopla around Darwin Thompson, he is undersized, and Damien Williams is still largely unproven.  Darrel Williams has the size and power to at least carve out a short-yardage and goal-line role, and, as you point out, he could be a turned ankle away from significant touches.

 
He's basically free at this point and a no-brainer add in deep leagues, and I'm guessing his price will go up when Hyde gets cut.

 
Hyde gets cut, he moves up to third string.

(Rotoworld) Darrel Williams rushed five times for 19 yards in the Chiefs' third preseason game, adding a three-yard reception. Williams was actually the second Chiefs back to touch the ball after Damien Williams, though rookie Darwin Thompson also spent time with the first-team offense. Provided he sits out Thursday's finale, Williams finishes the preseason with 11 carries for 44 yards (4.0 YPC) and two catches. Coach Andy Reid has said he plans to feature a committee, and it would appear he wants Williams to be a part of it. Veteran Carlos Hyde seems poised to get cut.
 
I stashed him in some last roster spots... I'm on a roll right now, should be buying real lottery tix... 

Darrel is a great "take the cheapest" type of option.  He might be right where Williams was when we all should have grabbed him last year - 1 injury away. 

 
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He was praised at LSU for his pass blocking. If Shady tweaks that ankle and Darwin isn't up to the task of pass blocking Darrel could see himself on the field a lot. Lot's of "ifs" here.

 
kittenmittens said:
I stashed him in some last roster spots... I'm on a roll right now, should be buying real lottery tix... 

Darrel is a great "take the cheapest" type of option.  He might be right where Williams was when we all should have grabbed him last year - 1 injury away. 
Agreed, he could have surprising value this weekend while everyone else is looking at Thompson.

 

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