Should you draft Clyde Edwards-Helaire in fantasy football this year?

After being set up to fail by the fantasy football community, some managers have sworn off Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire — stating they won’t draft him in 2021. However, I believe this is the wrong mindset and that Edwards-Helaire should absolutely be on your fantasy football radar in upcoming drafts now that the industry has had a year to calm down.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire was set up to fail in fantasy

When Edwards-Helaire was selected 32nd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, you would have thought he was the second coming. Every single stat was used going back to how Andy Reid used his RBs, Edwards-Helaire was the highest-drafted RB he had ever picked, and Patrick Mahomes chose him to be their guy. 

They looked back at his tape at LSU in 2019, where he showcased his receiving skills and replayed highlights of his spin move that would make a Whirlpool executive jealous. I mean, they weren’t entirely wrong. He rushed 215 times for 1,414 yards with 16 touchdowns while catching 55 passes for 453 and 1 more score. 

The issue is Edwards-Helaire — for being as talented as he is and for as perfect of a landing spot as he got — was set up to fail due to the expectations placed upon him. Having never played a single snap, he was being ranked as high as the RB5 and was going as the eighth pick in fantasy drafts (8.2 ADP). His ADP was already accounting for the breakout that had never even happened yet. 

It was the case of the hype simply going too far. But in Edwards-Helaire’s defense, he nearly pulled it off for a bit of time.

Pre and post-Le’Veon Bell eras were entirely different for Edwards-Helaire

If you drafted Edwards-Helaire in fantasy, odds are you were disappointed when you overlooked his end-of-season stats. He was the RB22 in fantasy, 23rd in points per game (13.5), but was RB44 in points per touch at 0.81 (minimum 60 touches). However, there is a reason we shouldn’t just look at the season from a wide-angle lens but from a macro one, accounting for changes in a player’s situation or environment. For Edwards-Helaire, the line of demarcation came with the signing of Le’Veon Bell. 

Pre-Bell era

From Weeks 1 through 6, Edwards-Helaire was an excellent RB1 fantasy running back. During this stretch, he was the RB11, racking up 107 carries for 505 yards (4.7 avg) and 1 rushing touchdown. He also added 21 receptions on 31 targets for 177 yards. His usage was through the roof as well, averaging 17.8 rushing attempts and 5.2 targets per game.

On a 16-game pace, Edwards-Helaire was on a trajectory for 1,350 rushing yards and 472 receiving yards. The volume he was getting was offsetting the lack of efficiency and almost laughable inability to score in the red zone.

No, he was not the RB8 that he was being drafted as, but as the RB11, managers were perfectly fine with the production of Edwards-Helaire in fantasy as he had a stranglehold on the backfield. Then, it all came crashing down.

Post-Bell Era

After being freed from the purgatory that was the New York Jets, Bell was quickly scooped up by the Chiefs. While he did not wow or do much at all, it was enough to disrupt CEH’s volume.

While with the Chiefs, Bell saw 63 carries for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns, adding 13 receptions on 17 targets for 99 yards. As I said, nothing impressive. But this disturbance was enough to affect Edwards-Helaire.

CEH was the RB37 to close the year while averaging 13.8 opportunities per game. Recording 74 carries for 298 yards and 3 TDs with 15 receptions for 120 yards and another score. Interestingly, his efficiency per opportunity went up to 0.83. 

But things are different in 2021, and Edwards-Helaire is primed for a bounceback in 2021.

Should you draft Clyde Edwards-Helaire in fantasy football this year?

Guess what? Everything you loved about Edwards-Helaire for fantasy last season is still here. If anything, things are even better for him in 2021.

If there was one positive to come out of the Super Bowl in which Patrick Mahomes ran for his ever-loving life, it was the Chiefs completely investing in a new offensive line.

This past offseason, they signed Joe Thuney, the most highly-regarded offensive lineman available in free agency. They completed a blockbuster trade before the draft for Orlando Brown and then drafted C Creed Humphrey. Joining them are Lucas Niang, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Mike Remmers, and Trey Smith. This is now one of the most formidable units in all of football. 

Also, Edwards-Helaire is no longer a rookie. There is something to knowing how to be a pro and prepare your body and mind for a season. Last year, in the middle of a pandemic, Edwards-Helaire was flying by the seat of his pants on pure talent and ability. 

There is also no other competition for touches once again. While they brought in Jerick McKinnon, no one is worried about his impact on Edwards-Helaire as he isn’t even the guaranteed RB2 on the depth chart — that very well could end up being Darrel Williams. 

CEH is now a value in 2021 fantasy drafts

Edwards-Helaire has gone from being overpriced in 2020 to a value in 2021 for fantasy. He sits as the RB15 (26.3 ADP) — over a round and a half later than the year before. 

When you factor in that the Chiefs could very well be the leading scoring team in 2021, we should be more excited about Edwards-Helaire for fantasy now than we were a year ago. And what’s best is you can draft him as your RB2.

Edwards-Helaire is projected for over 200 carries and 65 targets on the league’s most potent offense. If that doesn’t scream, “draft me,” I don’t know what does.