Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards is coming off a career season in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens, but how does that impact his fantasy football outlook in 2024?
With a name like “Gus,” you can expect to see many “Gus Bus” fantasy team names this season.
Below, I’ll examine Edwards’s fantasy outlook in 2024 and whether I think he’s a good pick.
Gus Edwards’ Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
Edwards’ RB37 ADP is positioning him as a potential candidate for the ZeroRB fantasy football strategy.
Edwards had 198 carries for 810 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns in 2023. Per TruMedia, he ran just 165 routes and caught 12 passes for 180 yards.
A total of 532 of those rushing yards came on first down, 225 on second down, and 45 on third down. Six of his 13 rushing scores came on first down, and another six came on second. He’s a true two-down back.
At RB37, Edwards is going just after Ezekiel Elliott and before Chase Brown. Elliott has pass-catching upside, but will he lose carries to Rico Dowdle? As for Brown, he has a chance to emerge, but Zack Moss is ahead of him.
Edwards finds himself on a Chargers depth chart along with fellow former Ravens rusher J.K. Dobbins, rookie Kiami Vidal, and Jaret Patterson, though I expect this backfield to ultimately consist of Edwards, Dobbins, and Vidal.
Edwards has just 30 catches in his NFL career, which began in 2018. Thus, you wouldn’t rely on his work as a receiver for any significant fantasy contributions.
Before 2023, Edwards had 13 rushing touchdowns in his entire career. His 198 carries were also a new personal best, and he averaged 4.1 yards per carry. He never finished under five yards per carry in a season, but he’d also never logged more than 144 carries in a season before 2023.
As my colleague Kyle Soppe mentions, Edwards had one fewer 10+ yard rush than Seattle Seahawks Zach Charbonnet despite 90 more carries, and his red-zone conversion climbed to 33.3%. It was 25% in 2022.
It’s also worth noting that the Chargers offense is quite different regarding player status compared to the Ravens. The Chargers are projected to have a passing attack that’ll be far less superior than the past. The top receivers are Josh Palmer and Ladd McConkey—a player who had 38 catches in 2023 and a rookie.
Is Edwards a Good Fantasy Pick?
At RB37, I don’t mind this pick. This is in the doldrums of the running back position, and while this spot doesn’t carry an expectation of 13 touchdowns, I want to reiterate that such a benchmark is highly unlikely under any circumstance.
The Chargers will run the ball with head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, but they have Dobbins and Vidal to utilize, and they’ll still give quarterback Justin Herbert a chance to elevate this passing game.
I wouldn’t depend on Edwards as a weekly starter, but as a bench running back, he’s worth a spot on your rosters.