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Despite annually having one of the most pass-happy offenses in the NFL, Andy Reid routinely got good production from running backs during his time as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Most notable in that regard were Brian Westbrook, who had the best seasons of his career from 2004-2008, and LeSean McCoy accounted for 20 touchdowns (17 rushing, three receiving) in 2011.
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Now Reid has moved on to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he will inherit one of the league’s most talented running backs in Jamaal Charles. With Reid running the show, and a theoretical upgrade at quarterback in Alex Smith, the Chiefs’ offense should be dramatically better this year and Charles is in line for a boost in production.
McCoy and Charles are both likely to be excellent options for fantasy football owners this year, but is one clearly better than the other?
The Case For LeSean McCoy
McCoy was likely to experience some regression from his breakout 2011 season (1,309 rushing yards and 48 receptions along with those 20 total touchdowns) anyway, and being sidelined for four games last season with a concussion did not help matters. But he actually ended up with more receptions last season (54) despite the missed games, and if new Eagles’ head coach Chip Kelly brings the fast-paced offense he had at Oregon to the pros fairly seamlessly, McCoy should see ample opportunities as both a runner and receiver.
Bryce Brown looked good in McCoy’s absence last year, most notably in Week 12 against the Carolina Panthers (19 carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns) and Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys (24 carries for 169 yards and two touchdowns). His role may not go away completely this season, but with McCoy back healthy Brown is unlikely to be a particularly consistent fantasy option.
The Case For Jamaal Charles
Charles tore his left ACL early in the second game of the 2011 season, but he returned to action with an excellent 2012 campaign in his first season as Kansas City’s clear-cut No. 1 running back. He had a career-high 285 carries for a career-best 1,509 rushing yards (fourth in the league) and five touchdowns, along with 35 receptions despite being the only consistent offensive threat the Chiefs had.
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the prominent role Charles is likely to have as a pass receiver this season, so it would not be shocking to see him set a new career-high in receptions this year along with a carry total similar to 2012.
The Final Analysis
McCoy and Charles are likely to be among the first 5-10 running backs drafted in fantasy leagues, and both are top-tier options in PPR formats. Touchdowns may be tough to come by for both though, as McCoy has never had more than nine total touchdowns in a season if you leave out 2011 and Charles’ career-high for rushing touchdowns in a season is seven.
Using a couple different factors, Charles is my choice here. Outside of his knee injury two years ago, Charles has only missed one game in his career, while McCoy has not played all 16 games since his 2009 rookie season. Charles also has no significant competition for carries, while Brown is a potential drag on McCoy’s fantasy value.
Brad Berreman is a contributing writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradberreman24.
