FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 4/18/2013 1:49am et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles might break his career high for pass receptions this season, as head coach Andy Reid has used his backs as receivers out of the backfield in years past. Charles is perfectly fine with that. "I'm happy I can catch out of the backfield more," Charles said Wednesday, April 17. "This is the most movement I've been (asked to do) in five years in the league, shifting and motion. This is the most I've ever (done). I have to get my mind right and my body in shape for this type of offense."

Huddle Up: Go ahead and start salivating about Charles filling the Brian Westbrook role in Reid's offense; that appears to be where the Chiefs' offense is heading. And that role led Westbrook to four top-10 finishes among fantasy running backs over a five-year span from 2004 to 2008.

Posted: 1/5/2013 10:17am et

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has always liked to use his tailbacks in the passing game. RB Jamaal Charles had 35 receptions in 2012 and could see that number increase next season.

Huddle Up: It's not difficult seeing Charles in a Brian Westbrook-type of role, which--while at time frustrating to fantasy owners who wanted to see him touch the ball more (sound familiar, Charles owners?)--was ultimately a very productive situation. So at minimum hold your cards on Charles if you were considering an offseason panic move.

Posted: 12/26/2012 7:55pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (illness) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Dec. 26.

Huddle Up: Doesn't sound like anything to worry about for the K.C. Pro Bowler, particularly with it only being Wednesday.

Posted: 12/24/2012 9:54pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles has averaged 5.82 yards per carry in his career, best in NFL history.

Huddle Up: Charles remains a big play waiting to happen -- something that was hammered home for the Colts on Sunday when Charles ripped off an 86- yard scoring sprint on the opening play of the second half. He finished with 226 yards -- his second highest single-game rushing total of the season.

Posted: 12/15/2012 5:10pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles will see a heavy workload in Week 15 against the Oakland Raiders, particularly without WR Dwayne Bowe (ribs) in the lineup. 'Everybody knows weï¿'re going to run the ball with 25 back there,' offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said. Charles had only five carries for 4 yards in Week 8 against Oakland.

Huddle Up: Charles, who has had at least 107 total yards in each of his past 5 games, is an absolute must-start this week against a Raiders' defense giving up the third-most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season.

Posted: 12/9/2012 4:13pm et

Updating a previous report, Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles was able to return the team's Week 14 game after missing some time with a rib injury.

Huddle Up: Thanks to an 80-yard scoring sprint on the first series of the game, Charles (18-165) was able to rush for 100 yards for the fourth time in 5 games and remains the only true sure-fire fantasy starter on the K.C. roster.

Posted: 11/27/2012 1:07pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles has come under fire locally after he asked Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning for his autograph following the Chiefs' Week 12 loss.

Huddle Up: On a related note, Charles' fantasy owners -- some of whom might also have Manning as their QB -- have had few bones to pick with the RB of late as he's averaged 108.3 total yards per outing over his past 3 games and has been the only sign of fantasy life in K.C. all season.

Posted: 11/13/2012 12:17am et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles gained 100 yards and scored a TD Monday night in the team's 16-13 Week 10 OT loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Huddle Up: It was a somewhat surprisingly strong fantasy outing for Charles, who had totaled 83 yards and no scores on 29 rushes over the previous 3 weeks. Unfortunately, that run of poor performances combined with the tough matchup with the Steelers, likley led some fantasy owners to send Charles to the bench this week.

Posted: 11/10/2012 8:47pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (neck) fully participated in practice Saturday, Nov. 10, and is listed as probable for Week 10.

Huddle Up: Charles' fantasy owners officially are in panic mode as the K.C. RB has rushed for all of 83 yards on 29 carries over his past 3 games and hasn't scored since Week 4. This likely isn't the week to expect a breakthrough, though, with the Chiefs facing the Steelers on the road.

Posted: 11/9/2012 4:00pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (neck) practiced in full Friday, Nov. 9.

Huddle Up: Hopefully Romeo Crennel will go back to using Charles like he did earlier this season: a lot. It looks like he should be good to go this weekend from a health standpoint.

Posted: 11/2/2012 12:10pm et

Updating a previous report, Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles said he felt like he could have returned to the game Thursday, Nov. 1, but he was told he was done for the night.

Huddle Up: At least Charles was able to get double-digit touches before the coaching staff figured that was enough. Hey, don't want to overwork your top playmaker; the Chiefs are going to need him in the second half of the season if they ever want to lead a game at some point in regulation.

Posted: 11/1/2012 11:34pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (neck) left Thursday's Week 9 game in the fourth quarter because of a neck injury and did not return.

Huddle Up: Charles was able to leave the game on his own power following a head-to-head collision, but neck injuries never are anything to take lightly. In the meantime, though, Charles had his 3rd straight subpar fantasy game with 66 total yards on 15 touches and failed to score for the 4th consecutive outing.

Posted: 10/31/2012 11:23am et

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Brian Daboll defended his use of RB Jamaal Charles in Week 8. Charles had just eight touches in the game. "Jamaal is a good player ... and give Oakland credit," Daboll said. "They did a nice job of stopping the run. We tried to move it some other ways. Every week is a new week. You go as the game develops. You try to run or pass based some on what you think you can do and some on what they're doing. If they're doing a good job of stopping the run over and over, we're going to try and move the ball in another fashion."

Huddle Up: That's a pathetic excuse for giving your most dynamic playmaker single-digit touches in a two-possession game. It explains why the Chiefs haven't held a lead in regulation this year; it also makes it extremely difficult to trust Charles as a reliable fantasy factor going forward.

Posted: 10/29/2012 12:00pm et

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel said he is not sure why RB Jamaal Charles only received five carries in Week 8.

Huddle Up: You'd like to think the head coach would have some idea as to why his best playmaker isn't touching the ball. If there's a reasonable explanation forthcoming, it might shed some light on Charles' anticipated workload going forward... but don't hold your breath.

Posted: 10/16/2012 2:31pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles will be limited by a back injury in practice this week. Also, RB Peyton Hillis (ankle) and DL Glenn Dorsey (calf) continue to be limited but both could be ready for Week 8 against the Oakland Raiders.

Huddle Up: After 3 straight standout fantasy games, Charles came back to Earth with 47 total yards and no TDs against the Bucs in Week 6. His back issue can't be too worrisome if he's still able to practice, and he'll also have the bye week to work out the kinks.

Posted: 10/9/2012 11:47pm et

The Kansas City Chiefs plan to continue to pound the ball on the ground, regardless of who their quarterback is under center. They ran the ball 49 times compared to 19 pass plays in their Week 5 loss, and they rank second in the league in rushing. RB Jamaal Charles leads the league with 551 yards and is tied for third with 102 attempts. RB Shaun Draughn carried the ball 12 times and RB Cyrus Gray had four carries last week. RB Peyton Hillis (ankle) will be involved, too, when he returns from injury.

Huddle Up: This is the sensible approach for the Chiefs given their QB and turnover issues, but the number of touches Charles is getting -- an average of 23.4 per game so far -- is a bit alarming, especially for a player a year removed from a serious knee injury. By comparison, in Charles' two standout seasons in 2009 and '10, he averaged 15.3 and 17.2 touches per contest, respectively. To be sure, Charles has been dynamic so far, but the extra wear and tear could start to take its toll.

Posted: 9/24/2012 12:19pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles said after a terrific Week 3 performance that he has finally returned all the way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. "I didn't trust myself (until Sunday). It really hit me when I started getting the runs. I started trusting myself," Charles said. "I kind of feel like the old me, especially breaking that long run and finishing it. It's motivating me more that I still have my speed and I still can run the long ones."

Huddle Up: One week after taking the second half off due to knee soreness, Charles shouldered a massive workload and sparked the Chiefs to an upset of the Saints in New Orleans. While he didn't look quite as fast as the "old" Charles on his 91-yard touchdown romp, he flashed enough speed--and more importantly, gained enough confidence in his surgically repaired knee--to return to the upper tier of the fantasy running back rankings.

Posted: 9/21/2012 6:47pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (knee) fully participated in practice Friday, Sept. 21, and is listed as probable for Week 3.

Huddle Up: After not finishing the Week 2 blowout loss in Buffalo, Charles has practiced all week and should be started with confidence in Week 3.

Posted: 9/20/2012 8:12pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (knee) practiced in full Thursday, Sept. 20.

Huddle Up: That's now 2 full practices in 2 days for the Chiefs' top back, who was pulled from the Week 2 game against the Bills with a bruised/sore knee.

Posted: 9/20/2012 2:12pm et

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel said RB Jamaal Charles, TE Tony Moeaki and SS Eric Berry are healthy enough to play but is not sure if any will be able to return to the level of play they were at before they tore their anterior cruciate ligaments. 'Those guys are playing and they're practicing, and so they are good enough to play,' Crennel said. 'Now, whether they'll ever be back to what they used to be, I don't know if that's going to be the case, because they've had a reconstruction on the knee. Will it be like it was before the reconstruction? I don't know that will be the case.'

Huddle Up: Charles' fantasy owners were left at a loss after the RB was pulled with a sore knee after rushing for only 3 yards on 6 carries Sunday against the Bills. He's had a full calendar year to recover from the ACL tear, but there still will be some rough patches. The good news is that Charles fully participated in practice Wednesday so definitely give him another go in Week 3 against a Saints' run defense that has had more than its share of early-season struggles so far.

Posted: 9/19/2012 7:41pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (knee) practiced in full Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Huddle Up: Charles' knee acted up last week in Buffalo, helping limit him to only 3 yards on 6 carries in the blowout loss. This was troubling after previous reports indicated that Charles was doing just fine a full year after tearing his ACL. The Chiefs' poor all-around start hasn't helped matters either, so be wary of relying too much on Charles for now.

Posted: 9/17/2012 4:27pm et

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel said RB Jamaal Charles (knee) dealt with a sore knee Week 2 but should be able to play Week 3.

Huddle Up: Given Charles disappointing performance the first two weeks of the season, this has to be worrisome news to those counting on Charles for their fantasy teams, but at least may offer an explanation for his lackluster efforts to open the season.

Posted: 9/6/2012 11:13am et

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel loves RB Jamaal Charles' speed and RB Peyton Hillis' power, and he plans to use both backs often in Week 1. However, Crennel added the flow of the game will dictate which back sees more time. "Just how we feel, how it's going," Crennel said when asked if he has a carry-split plan for Charles and Hillis. "And, that's totally honest with you. You can't say how a game is going to go. We go up there and we work all these hours at night and we put a game plan together, but if a play is not working, then you don't keep calling that play. So, whatever is working, that's what we're going to call, and that's why many times you look at that offensive call sheet that has so many plays on it because if they're not working, then you've got something else to go to."

Huddle Up: Charles has demonstrated he doesn't need a high volume of touches to be an effective fantasy producer, though those who saw him lose touches to Thomas Jones should brace themselves for deja vu all over again. Hillis is built for goal line duty and has a history with Chiefs OC Brian Daboll so KC won't shy away from giving him snaps as well. Ultimately both should have some fantasy success, but lose enough touches to the other guy to inspire frustration. Could be worse; Mike Shanahan could be coaching the Chiefs.

Posted: 8/3/2012 7:29pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles looks fine 45 minutes into practice, Friday, Aug. 3.

Huddle Up: Charles continues to look strong in his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered last season. If there was any good side to the injury, it occurred in Week 2, essentially giving the speedy back a calendar year to recover. The injury, justifiably, has knocked Charles out of the top-5 fantasy RB rankings he saw at this time last season, but he most definitely has high-reward potential.

Posted: 8/2/2012 12:18pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles has been icing his knee after practice, but he feels good and is encouraged by his progress. "I feel good," Charles said. "I feel like I got my mojo back. I feel happy. I feel comfortable out there, and I'm ready to go. My legs feel fresh." Charles added that he's able to make cuts like normal on zone plays in the team's revised running scheme.

Huddle Up: Charles was injured early in the 2011 season so he's had almost a full year of recovery. The Chiefs have Peyton Hillis (and his OC from Cleveland, Brian Daboll) to share the workload, but Charles hasn't needed a large volume of touches to be an effective fantasy player. That said, if you were bothered by Charles splitting carries with Thomas Jones you'll be equally frustrated by the current arrangement.

Posted: 6/14/2012 3:52pm et

The Kansas City Chiefs are built to run the football in 2012. During the offseason, their three major additions - OL Eric Winston, RB Peyton Hillis and TE Kevin Boss - were aimed at helping the running game. Hillis should give the team a strong change-of-pace balance to RB Jamaal Charles (knee). If the Chiefs are able to get the football in the hands of Charles and Hillis at least 500 times this year, it should lead to a successful season. 'He's bringing power, explosiveness, he's strong, he's going to catch the ball, he's got great hands. I feel he's an all-around player like me, so I feel like we can move the ball,' Charles said of Hillis, while noting he believes the two will make a good combination. 'When you have a guy in there that you know is just as good, if not a lot better than you are, that's really good too,' Hillis said.

Huddle Up: You can bet on Hillis stealing some short TD runs, but just how many collective touches he'll get from week to week is up for debate. A healthy, explosive Charles won't leave the field for extended periods of time.

Posted: 5/28/2012 11:55pm et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles (knee) said via Twitter he remains the fastest player on the team despite having anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Huddle Up: Charles has already had over eight full months to rehab and there's no reason to think he'll lose any measurable degree of speed.

Posted: 5/26/2012 7:10pm et

The Kansas City Chiefs have no concerns whatsoever about RB Jamaal Charles' readiness for the 2012 season. Although Charles won't practice until training camp, his absence from organized team activities is purely a precaution. Furthermore, the Chiefs are excited about Charles' potential in their new offense under offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

Huddle Up: Charles is missing out on valuable reps in the Chiefs' new offense, and even if he's fully recovered from the knee injury that prematurely ended his 2011 season he'll cede at least some touches--especially at the goal line--to Peyton Hillis. Hopefully your fantasy draft comes late enough in August that you'll have an opportunity to see him in the preseason to determine if he's worth the risk.

Posted: 5/25/2012 3:43pm et

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel said RB Jamaal Charles likely will not be cleared to practice before the end of offseason workouts. Crennel said he is hopeful Charles will be ready for the start of training camp.

Huddle Up: Charles proclaimed himself to be at 80 percent a week or so ago, but there's no guarantee he'll be ready for a full workload by the start of training camp. Meanwhile, Peyton Hillis gets more reps with the first team while Dexter McCluster works with the wide receivers. If Charles' fantasy owners were annoyed by Thomas Jones' share of the KC backfield touches, 2012 isn't shaping up to be much better.

Posted: 5/22/2012 11:00am et

Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles is reportedly "80 percent" of the way recovered from tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Week 2 last season.

Huddle Up: 80 percent isn't bad, but with Peyton Hillis lurking Charles will need to be more than 80 percent to earn back enough carries to be the fantasy factor he was prior to his injury. Some see Charles as a value going off the board in the third round of early fantasy drafts, but you'll need to snag Hillis as insurance.