Damien Williams & LeSean McCoy Fantasy: Which Chiefs RB Will Emerge as Starter?

The Kansas City Chiefs have been swapping running backs in and out all offseason. The team signed Carlos Hyde just to trade him before cutting the roster down to 53. Kansas City brought LeSean McCoy to town to take Hyde’s place.

Damien Williams has been viewed as the Chiefs’ starting running back all offseason, but a wrench could be thrown into that plan sooner than later. The Chiefs also have Darrel Williams and rookie Darwin Thompson on the bench who could steal some snaps.

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Chiefs’ Backfield Fantasy Outlook: Matchup vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

These two teams met last season. It was a lopsided 30-14 win for the Chiefs, but the game was closer than the scoreboard. Blake Bortles threw four interceptions for the Jaguars which allowed Kansas City to run away. Jacksonville controlled the Chiefs offense for the most part.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 313 yards but did not throw a touchdown pass and had two interceptions. What did work for the Chiefs in that game was their run game. Kansas City finished with 126 yards on the ground. This might have to be their game plan come Sunday. There is no doubt that the Chiefs are a pass first team. Williams and McCoy will get plenty of touches on Sunday given the strength of the Jaguars’ secondary. The question remains, which will emerge as the starter?

Williams missed time in camp with an injury. The coaching staff kept reminding everyone that Williams was the starter despite being on the shelf. He finished strong in 2018 when he jumped in as the every down back. Williams has never had the chance in his career to be a starter, and the Chiefs are giving that to him. When Hyde’s preseason snaps started to diminish, it seemed set that Williams would take over as the clear cut starter.

This was until the Chiefs signed LeSean McCoy. Andy Reid’s time with McCoy in Philadelphia cannot be ignored. Together, they ran a system that had McCoy as the main option. He ran for 1,000 yards four times in six seasons as a member of the Eagles. He eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark twice in Buffalo, but his poor 2018 campaign led to him being cut. The Chiefs did not waste time bringing him to town. They now have two No. 1 backs heading into week one.

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Should You Start or Sit Either Chiefs’ RB in Week 1?

This is a tough call. This Chiefs’ backfield will give certain fantasy teams fits all season long. Whoever drafted Williams better have claimed McCoy off the waiver wire right when the announcement came out that he was joining the Chiefs. When it comes time to set your final fantasy lineup, a Chiefs back has to be apart of it.

Which one? For week one against the Jaguars, Williams can be viewed as a RB2 or a flex play. He is a decent receiver out of the backfield and will most likely get the goal line touches. The coaching staff has been behind Williams all summer and it will not change that quickly. Keep McCoy on the bench to begin the season. this might not last long. McCoy has the potential to emerge as the back who gets the most touches, but he needs to prove that first.

So, what we do know is that the Chiefs will split time between their backs. We do not know how they will split that time and who will get carries in certain areas of the field. The run game for Kansas City will be huge against the Jaguars because it will open up their passing game. Let’s revisit this headache before week two to see if Reid gave fantasy any insight on how he will handle his backfield.

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