Le’Veon Bell should challenge Clyde Edwards-Helaire for RB1 role
Le’Veon Bell can take Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s RB1 role with the Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed recently released running back Le’Veon Bell, because why wouldn’t they?
The Chiefs, so long as Patrick Mahomes is playing quarterback for them (the next decade-plus, in case you haven’t heard), will be a destination spot for free agents chasing a winning situation.
Even though the Chiefs used their first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire out of LSU, Bell has a chance to bring balance to the Kansas City offense and revive their running game.
After the first game of the 2020 season, pundits all over the place were talking about Edwards-Helaire’s marvelous performance with 138 rushing yards on 25 carries and a touchdown.
Edwards-Helaire was being looked at as many fantasy football players’ best value pick, and some even took him first overall on the recommendation of NFL Network’s Peter Schrager, who was confident that Edwards-Helaire was going to explode in his rookie season in Kansas City’s offense.
Unfortunately, the Chiefs are not immune to the struggles regular players and teams go through.
Since Edwards-Helaire’s big week one performance, he is struggling to average even four yards per carry, doesn’t have a single touchdown since week one, and has a game-high of 64 rushing yards (twice) since week one.
Not that everyone is expecting Edwards-Helaire to run for 150 yards and a touchdown or two every week, but his yards per carry numbers are down in the last four weeks and the Chiefs saw an opportunity to either upgrade their RB1 situation or their depth.
Le’Veon Bell is as big of a name as you will see hit the free agent market at this time of the NFL year, and Kansas City is a fascinating fit because of how great Bell has historically been at catching passes as well as being a patient, dangerous runner.
The Chiefs now have a proven veteran presence at the running back position in Bell, who should be rejuvenated by a fresh start away from the New York Jets, a great system with Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy, and a quarterback in Patrick Mahomes who is going to love having a smart playmaker like that in the huddle.
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Although Bell is just getting to town and getting acclimated to his new surroundings, it’s only a matter of time before he’s taking RB1 duties in Kansas City, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire can still thrive in a RB2 role.