Fantasy Sleeper: Chiefs’ RB Darwin Thompson

Getty Darwin Thompson of Utah State shakes off a Michigan State defender to gain extra yardage.

The Kansas City Chiefs are no strangers to top tier fantasy running backs. Who can forget what Priest Holmes and Jamal Charles did when they were in the Kansas City backfield? More recently, Kareem Hunt delivered a rookie season to remember. With Hunt now in Cleveland, the Chiefs will turn to Damien Williams as their starting running back. According to Scout.com, fantasy footballers should not sleep on Darwin Thompson.

Thompson was a sixth round selection by Kansas City out of Utah State. Last season, Thompson ran for 1,044 yards and 14 touchdowns. He averaged 6.8 yards per carry. At the combine, Thompson ran a 4.50 40-yard dash and had a 39-inch vertical jump. He showed strength as well as he banged out 28 reps on the bench press.

At just 5’8, Thompson is an undersized back with a lot to prove. He spent two seasons at a junior college before ending up at Utah State. Being a small running back is not the worst thing in the NFL anymore. The tiny, shifty player out of the backfield that can catch the ball is extremely valuable in today’s game. For Thompson, he has drawn comparisons to Phillip Lindsay and Tarik Cohen.

Cohen was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of North Carolina A&T. At 5’6, Cohen knows what it is like to be undervalued. He has used that to his advantage. Cohen is turning into one of the most exciting players in the game. He had 71 catches for 725 yards last season. He is not as strong running the football, but with Jordan Howard out of town now, Cohen will have the chance to prove he is not one dimensional.

Lindsay signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado. He was not the clear cut starter heading into the season. After a few games, Lindsay put a strangle hold on the job and did not let it go. He finished his rookie season with 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns. If Thompson turns in half the rookie campaign that Lindsay did, the Chiefs will be smiling from ear to ear.

Thompson is currently ranked as the 64th running back in fantasy according to ESPN. With Williams and Carlos Hyde in front of him, Thompson is not projected to see the field much. This does not mean that he will not get a chance to prove himself. The Chiefs are typically a team that likes to have a work horse in the backfield. This season, they do not have that player. Some in the organization believe that Williams can be that player, however, he has not shown that he can handle 250-300 carries over the course of 16 games.

To give shine some light on Thompson’s projections, there are some notable names around him at 64. These names include Hunt, Adrian Peterson, Gus Edwards, and CJ Anderson. Injuries happen in the NFL, and they are demoralizing to a fantasy football team. If you are at the end of your fantasy draft, Thompson could be a nice player to keep on your bench just in case he breaks out.