The Kansas City Chiefs will be shorthanded regarding their running back room when they take the field on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. The Chiefs have ruled out running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire days before crossing the pond in Week 9 with an illness.
Edwards-Helaire has played second fiddle to Isiah Pacheco this season but provided Kansas City with a backup plan if anything happened to their starting running back. However, Edwards-Helaire has averaged just 3.3 yards per rush attempt in 2023.
Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Fazed Out of Gameplan in 2023
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the 32nd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, starred for the LSU Tigers before making his NFL debut. However, his skill set has yet to translate to the next level, failing to eclipse over 900 rushing yards in his four professional seasons. His best season came as a rookie, totaling 1,100 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns in 13 games. However, his rush attempts per game have dwindled each season, hitting an all-time low in 2023.
A two-year starter for the Kansas City Chiefs, Edwards-Helaire started to lose out on touches to undrafted rookie Isiah Pacheco in 2022. Pacheco has taken over the early-down running back role this season, outtouching Edwards-Helaire by nearly 80 carries.
Pacheco and McKinnon to Carry the Load in Frankfurt, Germany
Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon should receive all the running back work on Sunday. Pacheco already leads the backfield in touches but is in line to see more than 54% of the offensive snaps, his current percentage heading into Week 9. Meanwhile, McKinnon has a chance at a breakout game after a slow start to 2023. The 31-year-old scored ten times last season but has found paydirt twice in eight games.
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