RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, NO (1 Viewer)

[Faust]

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) did not practice on Friday.

Andy Reid noted that he's not ruling Edwards-Helaire out yet and that he is comfortable playing the second-year running back without him practicing. Reid also noted that Jerrick McKinnon could be activated from injured reserve if Edwards-Helaire is unable to play. That activation would occur on Saturday. If Edwards-Helaire plays he will be an RB2 in a potential shootout with the Bengals. However, Darrel Williams is very likely to steal passing down work and potentially goal line work as well. If Edwards-Helaire is out, Williams profiles as a high-ceiling RB2, even if McKinnon is active. McKinnon's presence would remove any deep league appeal for reserve running back and highlight machine Derrick Gore. 

RELATED: 

Darrel Williams

, Jeremiah McKinnon

SOURCE: Herbie Teope on Twitter

Dec 31, 2021, 2:10 PM ET

 

[Faust]

Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) ruled out for Sunday vs. Steelers

 

[Faust]

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) will play in the Divisional Round against the Bills.

Edwards-Helaire was a full participant in practice throughout the week and will be available on Sunday night against Buffalo. With Jerick McKinnon recently emerging for 142 total yards (including 106 yards after the catch) against Pittsburgh, Edwards-Helaire's role in the passing game is truly up in the air. The likeliest outcome is that McKinnon's receiving role sticks while CEH is used more on early downs and at the goal line. Both are in play for two/four-game DFS slates.

SOURCE: Adam Teicher on Twitter

Jan 21, 2022, 3:48 PM ET

 

[The Frankman]

Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed seven times for 60 yards and caught 1-of-2 targets for nine yards  in the Chiefs' Divisional Round win over the Bills.

Returning from a shoulder injury suffered back in Week 16, CEH was out-touched 15-8 by Jerick McKinnon with Darrel Williams (toe) not playing. CEH still out-rushed McKinnon 60-24 and could see a bigger piece of the pie next week in the AFC Championship date with the Bengals, but McKinnon isn't going away.

- NBCSportsEDGE

 

[rockaction]

I can't help it. Podfather today: 

"I don't know man. He was a slow, unathletic running back. And we all did dumb things when Kansas City handpicked him...when you think about what you passed on to take CEH at 1.01. It's one of the worst busts in how many years..." 

-Ray Garvin

Comparing him to Devin Singletary (because they're both unathletic) and Singletary is winning the assessment. 

 

[The Frankman]

Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed six times for 32 yards in the Chiefs' AFC Championship Game loss to the Bengals, adding a four-yard reception. 

For the second straight week since returning from injury, CEH took a backseat to Jerick McKinnon. He didn't even play a snap until the second quarter, though he ended up closing McKinnon's touch gap to 15-7. It's still not a great sign for Edwards-Helaire's future that a journeyman easily jumped him on the depth chart for the most important games of the season. Slowed by injury for the second time in as many pro campaigns, CEH suited up for just 10-of-17 regular season contests and was replacement-level both as a runner and pass catcher. It is the latter fact that is so concerning. Billed as a receiving dynamo coming out of LSU, how is CEH allowing himself to get out-targeted by 29-year-old McKinnon? Three months shy of his 23rd birthday, Edwards-Helaire has youth on his side, but the Chiefs figure to get more aggressive about adding bodies alongside him. He will be a tough sell as an RB2 in spring best ball drafts.

- NBCSportsEDGE

 

[Kiddnets]

ugly season - buy low or is this who he is?  Just never seemed to fit in.  

 

[Birdie048]

ugly season - buy low or is this who he is?  Just never seemed to fit in.  

I can't give him away....  Nobody wants to buy.. PERIOD

 

[JoeJoe88]

ugly season - buy low or is this who he is?  Just never seemed to fit in.  

How low we talking? I’d buy him for a pack of nabs. 

 

[zamboni]

I think draft capital will keep him in the mix for another year, but I expect he'll have to win back the job, whether it's against McKinnon/D. Williams (who are both UFAs) or another guy they bring in either through FA or the draft.

 

[JohnnyU]

ugly season - buy low or is this who he is?  Just never seemed to fit in.  

They should be throwing to him more.  That was his thing in college wasn't it?

 

[JoeJoe88]

They should be throwing to him more.  That was his thing in college wasn't it?

The problem is he just never looks special with the ball in his hands period, whether rushing or receiving. He looks slow and extremely ordinary. That LSU offense he caught so many balls on in college was one of the best college offenses in history. 

 

[JohnnyU]

The problem is he just never looks special with the ball in his hands period, whether rushing or receiving. He looks slow and extremely ordinary. That LSU offense he caught so many balls on in college was one of the best college offenses in history. 

Isn't KC a good offense?

 

[JoeJoe88]

Isn't KC a good offense?

Sure, but huge difference between being one of the better offenses in the NFL and being arguably the best offense ever at the college level. 

 

[JohnnyU]

Sure, but huge difference between being one of the better offenses in the NFL and being arguably the best offense ever at the college level. 

I don’t think they are using him properly.  He should be averaging 8 targets a game receiving.

 

[JoeJoe88]

I don’t think they are using him properly.  He should be averaging 8 targets a game receiving.

Maybe, but what exactly has he done to separate himself from his competition? Targets are earned. He’s failed to relegate a certified JAG in Williams to the bench and now he’s getting out-snapped by 30-year old Jerick McKinnon, who many had left for dead three years ago? 
 

Not good. 

 

[JohnnyU]

Maybe, but what exactly has he done to separate himself from his competition? Targets are earned. He’s failed to relegate a certified JAG in Williams to the bench and now he’s getting out-snapped by 30-year old Jerick McKinnon, who many had left for dead three years ago? 
 

Not good. 

We could go back and forth all day and it is OK to disagree, but let me end my part in this by saying perhaps if they used him properly in the receiving game he could separate himself from the competition.  After all, they spent a 1st round pick on him knowing what he was good at in college.

 

[rockaction]

Eight targets per game is ludicrous. Mahomes isn't checking down that much. That's not how they play. Four-six targets a game is optimistic. James White didn't even see eight targets per game. No running back averaged more than six per game last year. 

 

[massraider]

 now he’s getting out-snapped by 30-year old Jerick McKinnon, who many had left for dead three years ago? 
 

Not good. 

Yeaaaaaah, this. 

If Jerick McKinnon can come in here and take his lunch money, then you never gonna feel safe going into a season with this guy 

 

[ffmail4me]

I think draft capital will keep him in the mix for another year, but I expect he'll have to win back the job, whether it's against McKinnon/D. Williams (who are both UFAs) or another guy they bring in either through FA or the draft.

McKinnon has looked more explosive this post season, that's for sure....

 

[JohnnyU]

Eight targets per game is ludicrous. Mahomes isn't checking down that much. That's not how they play. Four-six targets a game is optimistic. James White didn't even see eight targets per game. No running back averaged more than six per game last year. 

Ok, 6 then

 

[GreenNGold]

CEH is pretty much undraftable next year, his price is going to be way too high.  Don't be the sucker in your league that reaches for him hoping for a piece of the KC offense that will never materialize (similar to this year).  Use that early pick or those auction dollars on an actual difference maker. 

It's hard to say for sure without seeing what his ADP will be next season, but if I remember I'm going to come back next year and give more definitive recommendations on who to draft instead of him. 

I also disagree with the others saying to buy low, I think now is the time to sell high while there still are believers with unrealistic hopes for CEH. 

I made this post about a year ago with my opinion heading into this season, and I'm offering the same advice heading into next season, although I'm sure there are less believers now.  

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I dealt him for a top 2 2023 pick, and regret it not at all. Not .01%. 

Sometimes you post something knowing that if you’re wrong someone will quote-tweet it & throw it back in your face. 

Feeling pretty confident that this is not one of those times. 

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

We could go back and forth all day and it is OK to disagree, but let me end my part in this by saying perhaps if they used him properly in the receiving game he could separate himself from the competition.  After all, they spent a 1st round pick on him knowing what he was good at in college.

I believed in him once.

I’m just not seeing it. Reid will use him. I don’t believe he will ever be a feature back, nor do I believe Reid will ever use him as such.

And I believe he’s more talented than most folks here do.
 

FF-wise, he will always cost more in draft capital than he’s worth, IMO. He will tease you with a 4 reception, 16 carry game with a TD. Then he’ll score 5-8 FF points a week for a month. If he stays healthy that long. 

It seems like he’s capable of being the dude he was in weeks 3 & 4 his year. I just don’t have faith that he’ll do that consistently for long enough to justify his pick. Reid seems to love committees and role players. CEH will be a very good real life football player and likely not a great FF contributor.

I’m avoiding until he shows me something more than he’s shown. 

 

[JoeJoe88]

I dealt him for a top 2 2023 pick

Yikes, make sure to send that gentleman a Christmas gift later this year. 

 

[TwinTurbo]

I don’t think they are using him properly.  He should be averaging 8 targets a game receiving.

My take is that he is too small, too slow, not strong enough, not RB1 material. I know Reid saw Brian Westbrook when he drafted this guy, but Westbrook could actually move the pile in addition to being an excellent receiver. 

Reportedly CEH can squat 600lbs and he was #1 in the draft for broken tackles in college. But he looks overmatched at the pro level. 

 

[rockaction]

and he was #1 in the draft for broken tackles in college

CEH will be a very good real life football player and likely not a great FF contributor.

I can't let this be the narrative. One is false, the other is not true. 

It's possible, as some have been saying all along, that his testing put him in the likely to stink realm, and for the most part, given the opportunity within that offense and the light boxes they see every down, he just isn't a good professional football player. In fact, the onus is on people to prove that he is at this point, not for naysayers to have the burden of proof. He's been outplayed by every guy KC throws in there. The proof is in the pudding.  

 

[TwinTurbo]

I can't let this be the narrative. One is false, the other is not true. 

It's possible, as some have been saying all along, that his testing put him in the likely to stink realm, and for the most part, given the opportunity within that offense and the light boxes they see every down, he just isn't a good professional football player. In fact, the onus is on people to prove that he is at this point, not for naysayers to have the burden of proof. He's been outplayed by every guy KC throws in there. The proof is in the pudding.  

Oh I completely agree with you, I don't think he is an RB1 and I even like McKinnon better. But CEH did in fact have the highest broken tackle rate for draft eligible running backs in 2020. He also got off to a great start in week 1 2020 with 7 missed tackles forced on runs which was tied for the best ever in NFL history for a rookie RB in their first game (according to PFF). But it was all downhill from there. 

 

[rockaction]

But CEH did in fact have the highest broken tackle rate for draft eligible running backs in 2020.

PFF has him leading missed tackles, I guess 247 Sports extrapolated that out to broken tackles. 

I have a hard time taking PFF's numbers seriously anymore. Nor their grading, really. 

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Yikes, make sure to send that gentleman a Christmas gift later this year. 

Week 1, when everyone was optimistic.

then, after a big game week 4 & for exactly one more week dude thought he got the best deal ever.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I can't let this be the narrative. One is false, the other is not true. 

It's possible, as some have been saying all along, that his testing put him in the likely to stink realm, and for the most part, given the opportunity within that offense and the light boxes they see every down, he just isn't a good professional football player. In fact, the onus is on people to prove that he is at this point, not for naysayers to have the burden of proof. He's been outplayed by every guy KC throws in there. The proof is in the pudding.  

I agree with you: 

but there’s no denying he’s shown flashes in spurts. There have been a few plays here and there where he makes a little juke;l, shows a little burst & goes 8-10 yards.

then the next play he’ll get stuffed for a loss of 3 because he ran up his blocker’s back. And another where he’ll crumple on contact. 

He has some tools. He just might be a AAAA player, to borrow from baseball. Good, but not good enough for the NFL. 

 

[TwinTurbo]

PFF has him leading missed tackles, I guess 247 Sports extrapolated that out to broken tackles. 

I have a hard time taking PFF's numbers seriously anymore. Nor their grading, really. 

Fair enough on PFF. But as far as the eyeball test, I think we are both in agreement. For a variety of reasons, he currently doesn't look or play like a RB1. That said, I thought the same thing about Montgomery and Singletary earlier in their careers and they both made nice leaps this season. 

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

That said, I thought the same thing about Montgomery and Singletary earlier in their careers and they both made nice leaps this season. 

the problem with those comps (not style of RB, but being patient with a you g player) is that Monty’s early struggles came from a shoddy OL & an offense that couldn’t sustain drives. And he was in a timeshare. A bad QB isn’t gonna make a young RB look good. 

And Singletary wasn’t great at what the Bills were trying to do with him early on so they made him a “between the 20s” back. But the opportunity was always there. They worked in Moss, who looked like a good compliment to Singletary. Fast forward to this year, & by necessity the Bills used him as a 3-down back & had success.

CEH just doesn’t have the opportunity. Reid loves situational football, and the Chiefs pass to set up the run. They’ll also run their WRs, or have Mahomes RPO. the very nature of the Chiefs and their offense limits CEH’s touches.

After the good 2-game stretch weeks 4 & 5, he saw like, 12 carries, 2-3 receptions per game. He hardly did anything with those receptions, and his rushing yards were mediocre as well. 

My point is, neither Singletary nor Monty were as limited in their opportunities, and both developed into nice players. I’m not sure if the Bills will try to bring in a complimentary back next season to keep Singletary from breaking down, so his numbers could regress despite his breakout season. 

Montgomery is obviously the real deal & will continue to see heavy workloads. 

Now, if we could freaky Friday CEH onto the bears, could he have also followed Monty’s path to development? I doubt it. Montgomery is a better caliber RB than CEH.

Could CEH have been a serviceable FF RB2 if he’d received 20 touches a game? Absolutely. But he isn’t very likely to in Andy Reid’s offense. 

 

[zamboni]

Reid seems to love committees and role players.

Not sure I totally agree here. Since Reid arrived in KC in 2013, he's more often than not rode one RB - from Jamaal Charles to Charcandrick West (after Charles was hurt) to Spencer Ware (after both Charles and West were hurt) to Kareem Hunt to Damien Williams. Even LeSean McCoy for a brief stretch a few years ago on his last wheels.  Granted Charles and Hunt are supreme talents, but I think the point is that CEH just may not be the guy they thought they were getting and they whiffed a bit on drafting him.  

 

[JohnnyU]

Could CEH have been a serviceable FF RB2 if he’d received 20 touches a game? Absolutely. But he isn’t very likely to in Andy Reid’s offense. 

So why in the hell did they spend a 1st round pick on him and not use him for his strengths?  Thank God they didn't draft Taylor instead - signed a Colts fan.

 

[JoeJoe88]

So why in the hell did they spend a 1st round pick on him and not use him for his strengths?  Thank God they didn't draft Taylor instead - signed a Colts fan.

They got bamboozled. Hoodwinked. Shammed. 

 

[JohnnyU]

They got bamboozled. Hoodwinked. Shammed. 

I'm not so sure they did .........yet.......until I see them use him for his strengths, but we've already beaten that to death.

 

[oswizzle]

no speed ...too slow overall 

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

So why in the hell did they spend a 1st round pick on him and not use him for his strengths?  Thank God they didn't draft Taylor instead - signed a Colts fan.

Perhaps they missed. Happens sometimes. He saw Brian Westbrook, and it turned out to be Ontario Smith.  

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

They got bamboozled. Hoodwinked. Shammed. 

This. 

 

[menobrown]

Heard him in a little interview yesterday say he had gall bladder surgery in March and was down to 160 pounds, which based on his listed weight is a 47 pound weight loss. Said he did not touch a football from the SB until OTA's or had been able to run or anything.

Seems significant. Was wondering why I had not heard about this but did see in middle of training camp were he said he has surgery and not many people knew about it but had no idea it had impacted him so hard.

Perhaps it's all excuses and initial stages of off-season hype but he was making a point that he had a long college season followed by draft prep then saw his next off-season marred by the surgery and he was excited about this being the first off-season he could really work on conditioning and improving his game.

 

[rockaction]

Heard him in a little interview yesterday say he had gall bladder surgery in March and was down to 160 pounds, which based on his listed weight is a 47 pound weight loss. Said he did not touch a football from the SB until OTA's or had been able to run or anything.

Seems significant. Was wondering why I had not heard about this but did see in middle of training camp were he said he has surgery and not many people knew about it but had no idea it had impacted him so hard.

Perhaps it's all excuses and initial stages of off-season hype but he was making a point that he had a long college season followed by draft prep then saw his next off-season marred by the surgery and he was excited about this being the first off-season he could really work on conditioning and improving his game.

He could also be trying to save his ###, but you never know what's affecting these guys sometimes. I have him in one of my whopping two leagues as a way of hedging my bets with my mouth. I'm still not a believer. Let's hope this is true, because let's face it, he's stunk. 

But if it's this, then I understand. You can't play American pro football while in recovery from internal surgery, though a gall bladder removal doesn't strike me as the most serious of injuries. There might even be more to it than he's letting on. Might have been an impact/rupture from contact, which is never good and can linger. 

 

[Birdie048]

He could also be trying to save his ###, but you never know what's affecting these guys sometimes. I have him in one of my whopping two leagues as a way of hedging my bets with my mouth. I'm still not a believer. Let's hope this is true, because let's face it, he's stunk. 

But if it's this, then I understand. You can't play American pro football while in recovery from internal surgery, though a gall bladder removal doesn't strike me as the most serious of injuries. There might even be more to it than he's letting on. Might have been an impact/rupture from contact, which is never good and can linger. 

I had a player on a baseball team I coached have gall bladder surgery (it was weird for a teenager to need it, yeah)...  it was the "core muscle" issue that was big with every twist & turn.  He missed 5 months of playing time and lost almost all his muscle mass (maybe 25 lb?).  I saw him a few years later and he was getting D1 college offers (signed with NC State!)  He told me it slow to recover from it because they had to cut part of his abdominal muscle wall.  He was told by Dr is was like Sports Hernia surgery in the complexity and recovery.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Heard him in a little interview yesterday say he had gall bladder surgery in March and was down to 160 pounds, which based on his listed weight is a 47 pound weight loss. Said he did not touch a football from the SB until OTA's or had been able to run or anything.

Seems significant. Was wondering why I had not heard about this but did see in middle of training camp were he said he has surgery and not many people knew about it but had no idea it had impacted him so hard.

Perhaps it's all excuses and initial stages of off-season hype but he was making a point that he had a long college season followed by draft prep then saw his next off-season marred by the surgery and he was excited about this being the first off-season he could really work on conditioning and improving his game.

I've never owned him, but I was surprised by this Google result just now:

Kansas City Chiefs’ Clyde Edwards-Helaire says he had offseason gallbladder surgery

Surprised bc that article is from August 18, 2021.

no mention of it in this thread....August 21 he had a sprained ankle

Searching this topic, no mention of gall bladder surgery. Weird everyone missed it, eh.

 

[JohnnyU]

I've never owned him, but I was surprised by this Google result just now:

Kansas City Chiefs’ Clyde Edwards-Helaire says he had offseason gallbladder surgery

Surprised bc that article is from August 18, 2021.

no mention of it in this thread....August 21 he had a sprained ankle

Searching this topic, no mention of gall bladder surgery. Weird everyone missed it, eh.

I had that surgery and it is relatively minor and I was back to my normal self in a couple of days.  I can't see that being an issue for more than a couple of weeks, even to a football player.  So I'm not buying that excuse, if it is one.

 

[BobbyLayne]

I had a player on a baseball team I coached have gall bladder surgery (it was weird for a teenager to need it, yeah)...  it was the "core muscle" issue that was big with every twist & turn.  He missed 5 months of playing time and lost almost all his muscle mass (maybe 25 lb?).  I saw him a few years later and he was getting D1 college offers (signed with NC State!)  He told me it slow to recover from it because they had to cut part of his abdominal muscle wall.  He was told by Dr is was like Sports Hernia surgery in the complexity and recovery.

thanks for the perspective

IG post 2 days ago

clyde_22

Kansas City, Missouri

Liked by dhasickestt and 29,708 others

clyde_22 Somethings [sic] are hard to do.
From a stomach surgery in the last off-season, to multiple injuries during this season. I hated every second I couldn’t be on the field with my dawgs!
Through it all! Countless lessons learned, knowledge gained beyond me , put me in a head space where I felt I needed to be.
With all the knowledge in the world, it doesn’t take a genius to know there are no do overs..
We know what we all want in life .. I just want to WIN! and be the BEST at what I do!
LETS GLYDE CHIEFSKINGDOM
~DRO
#Glyding #Northside #225

I'm no expert but gall bladder surgery (removal) is a different deal than core muscle/abdominal surgery, right? The latter seems like something that can potentially take a long time to heal/regain form, at least in cases I have followed.

Regardless, it's been an underwhelming first two seasons from a health/production view. 

 

[Birdie048]

thanks for the perspective

IG post 2 days ago

I'm no expert but gall bladder surgery (removal) is a different deal than core muscle/abdominal surgery, right? The latter seems like something that can potentially take a long time to heal/regain form, at least in cases I have followed.

Regardless, it's been an underwhelming first two seasons from a health/production view. 

Absolutely... they are night & day ...  My wife also had gall bladder removed laparoscopically.  She went home same day.  Hers was minor without any core muscle cuts. JD's surgery (baseball player) was more involved.  He had a bigger scar (4") like they could not find it right away and had to "expand the view" causing more muscle rebuild issues. 

I guess it depends on what how involved.  For reference (Army) my dad had a 14" zig-zag scar for his appendix removed in 1960.  They could not find it, so they just kept expanding & making more muscle cuts. 

 

[steelcityman]

About a year ago I had a stone stuck in a duct that empties into my intestine, and it hurt like hell any time I ate any real foods.  Starting backup up with bile, I turned yellow.  The gallbladder was functioning without infection or swelling so they took the stone out, duct was cleared, still have my GB, and its been all good since(knock on wood).   I dont eat fried foods anymore.   Its wild how much pain something so small can cause.

All that said, what is CEH value going forward?  CEH seems like a bust of a first rd pick, even in that wide open offense.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Heard him in a little interview yesterday say he had gall bladder surgery in March and was down to 160 pounds, which based on his listed weight is a 47 pound weight loss.

he certainly did not look like he lost 1/4 of his total body weight.

He looked exactly like he’d looked in 2020. 

That number may be an exaggeration. 

 

[menobrown]

I've never owned him, but I was surprised by this Google result just now:

Kansas City Chiefs’ Clyde Edwards-Helaire says he had offseason gallbladder surgery

Surprised bc that article is from August 18, 2021.

no mention of it in this thread....August 21 he had a sprained ankle

Searching this topic, no mention of gall bladder surgery. Weird everyone missed it, eh.

I was surprised when I came across his interview as well. Also made me go back and review if I missed anything and that's when I noticed he referenced a surgery that no one really knew about.

But yes if he's telling like it really is, and he was down to 160 pounds, it's surprising it seems to have not been picked up by anyone.