bumpity bump.... whats the good word on him? add for sure? ppr leauge more valuable. of course this is assuming something will happen to larry johnson

chiefs suck, doesn't matter who is running the ball

He's gotta be better than Jamal Lewis, who I dropped him for.

Depends on how deep your league is, but that is my general sentiment as well...

Added Charles in the two leagues i own LJ in. So if KC suspends LJ or releases him. I don't have to worry about someonelse beating me and adding JC. We have deep benches to stash players if we want. Dropped Felix Jones in one , and Maroney in the other.

I think I'd rather have Felix.

I would've rather had Felix and Maroney. The Chiefs O-line stinks and they are usually behind so they have to throw.

How well could Jamaal actually do? Isn't the Chiefs O-Line pretty awful?

Yeah, they're terrible. Cassel is getting killed back there. Even if Charles gets all the carries he'll have minimal value.

Don't forget about Kolby Smith who will be active in a couple of weeks. He had a couple of great weeks when he was the featured back. Granted that was in 2007, but he will be interesting to keep an eye on.

Ditto. It would be interesting if someone could provide an explanation as to what the Chiefs have been doing with the backup RB situation for the past 2 years.

Charles and Smith are worthless scrubs that can't create anything on their own, which is what would be required behind this line - nothing to see here.

Agreed. Putting lesser RB talent behind that line makes every Defense a good play against KC

Disagree. Charles is far more talented than LJ at this stage in his career. Doesn't mean that much behind that OL, but he's a far better option than LJ if he wouldn't fumble so much....

Charles, if given the opportunity to be the full time RB, will put up decent numbers every week. Especially in PPR Leagues.

Larry Johnson's time is fast running out in KC.

From the RW front page:

>>Speaking at his weekly press conference Tuesday, coach Todd Haley suggested that RB Jamaal Charles has earned a larger role going forward.

Haley said that Charles is "starting to get it" and that the second-year back is "growing on him." With Larry Johnson's Kansas City future up in the air, Charles is poised to handle lead-back duties after the bye in Week 9. While Charles' upside is limited in the Chiefs' struggling offense, he's worthy of a high waiver selection this week. <<

Sounds like as near an official blessing as we're going to get at this point. I'm not sure this makes Charles an every week RB2 but it does make him a nice weekly flex play.

Charles is a speed back, but not a great b/w the tackles option. Who will the Chiefs use on the goal line or as a short yardage option? Any KC fans?

Well seeing as they don't have any rushing Touchdowns this year, that is a good question. With LJ "suspended" for however long, I would still look to see Charles in there for goal line carries. Kolby Smith is a larger back, and he could see some of this role in 2-3 weeks.

Personally, fumble problems aside, I think this offense is better with Charles in there. You have a back that can catch passes out of the backfield (something Cassel needs with the poor protection), and one that showed a nice burst through the line on a couple of carries on Sunday. He's averaging 5 ypc (limited carries). He is a good target in PPR leagues.

Each additional release seems to indicate that LJ is done as a Chief:

>>ESPN.com's Bill Williamson suspects the Chiefs' banning of Larry Johnson from team activities is merely the first step in a long-term separation.
The team is clearly taking Johnson's conduct seriously, and Williamson believes an eventual suspension or a "complete parting of ways" is in the offing. Coach Todd Haley has had high praise for Jamaal Charles the past two days and is a better fit for the offense regardless. LJ may have played his last game as a Chief. <<

Let the Jamaal Charles era begin...???

well that's good news to hear. eases the pain of releasing shonn greene last week

wheres priest holmes when you need him

Seriously, are there any KC fans left? LOL


I picked up Charles this week as a flier on my bench, would be interesting to hear what KC fans think of his prospects. I understand their line sucks, but as I recall it looked like they were going against some pretty weak Def's toward the end of the year (Cleveland/Buffalo the first 2 weeks of fantasy playoffs).

I said this earlier, but didn't want to admit I was a Chiefs fan . Charles is definitely a good flex play. I listened to Haley's press conference yesterday and he said "Jamaal is starting to get it", whatever that means. Someone asked him today if Jamaal was an every down back, but he kind of dodged the question, saying that "RB is a position we are good at." I would expect Jamaal to get upwards of 15-20 touches a week though and get a lot of action in the passing game. Look for Kolby Smith to steal some carries in 2-3 weeks though.

To put it into algebra:

Charles = chris johnson - 2 yrs

Or maybe as soon as their next game. Reports have Smith splitting carries already with the first team in practice this week.

Yeah, I saw that today too, total buzzkill. Given KC's anemic offense, any timeshare would probably make it too risky to play Charles at all. We'll see how it plays out over the next couple weeks, but this Jamal Charles buzz may be for naught.

Kolby with get half the carries with Charles so Charles can still return kicks. Save your waiver

That depends whether or not your in a return yardage/PPR league like I am.

If so, use your waiver.

My league gets return yardage too. So Charles is now Darren Sproles lite. I'll take it.

My league counts 1 point per 10 yards return and Charles is still garbage.

That is your opinion. My opinion differs. I think your foolish to not consider him in that format. But then again we are close to Halloween.

If he's gonna have a Sproles like role, I'll take it. Sproles is a must start in my return league due to league size, but he is alos 4th in that league in RB scoring. Absolute beast. He just puts up points whether its through passes, rushes, or returns.

I'm guessing there's a reason it took a suspension to the great 2-ish ypc LJ before Jamaal became the apple of Haley's eye.

Yup. It's called a large contract and the fact that Charles fumbles a lot....Puts you in the doghouse with any coach. Things to watch for and if he puts the ball on the ground a couple of times next week, then Kolby Smith becomes a play. However, Charles is the far more talented runner at this point to either LJ or Smith....

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I own him in that league. Just pointing out with a league scoring in his perceived favor, he still sucks

In one of my leagues Jamaal Charles has more fantasy points than Brandon Jacobs.

Obviously he's a good pickup.

In my PPR league he's currently outscoring Brandon Jacobs, Pierre Thomas, Brian Westbrook and Marion Barber along with a few others. Now some of those guys have missed games due to injuries but Charles has done OK as the number 2 in KC. With a heavier workload on the way for him he makes a decent RB2/flex play in PPR leagues. Not so much in non-PPR but he does catch a lot of balls out the backfield and he can make people miss. Obviously in a TD heavy league he probably won't be seeing the endzone very often.

Agree with you 100 percent here. This guy now has the opportunity to run with the job the rest of the season and in PPR/return yardage leagues where are you going to find something this good during this time of the season barring injury to a top tier or a player in RBBC?

I picked him up and will monitor him carefully. Every year there's a RB that comes from nowhere that propels owners to a league championship.

Not saying Charles is, but he certainly could.

You just said earlier to not pick him up, but you own him? Dude please..... I can't even take you seriously anymore.

No need to even continue our chat LOL.

I would add Charles in a kick return yardage league, maybe in a PPR league, and I wouldn't add him in a standard league. Given the Chiefs softball approach to LJ so far, I wouldn't at all be shocked to see LJ carrying the ball 20 times a game after he serves his suspension. Even if LJ's carries are cut dramatically or he's released I expect Smith to get some of those carries and be a factor in the backfield. Of course the other issues he'd have to deal with, is the crappy O-line, and the fact that the Chiefs inevitably fall behind in games and are forced to throw. Stay clear in standard leagues unless of you have the bench space and/or waiver wire moves are unlimited.

I apologize. I was looking at Forsett numbers not Charles.

Jamal Charles is great in my point for 10 return yard league. I still don't think he will offer much value in a non-return yard league unless they play Oakland twice

everyone needs to take a wait and see approach, but he's worth adding in all leagues, all formats, as are all starting RBs in the league (ok, maybe not in 8 team or shallow 10 team leagues, but those don't count anyways )... everyone needs to keep their eyes on smith as well, but charles is a must-add now...

based on the information that has been released the last few days, it doesn't look as though johnson will be playing as a chief again, so the threat of johnson stealing carries shouldn't really factor into your decision to add charles...

OK you had me worried with your responses there for a minute. Just out of curiosity, what do you rank Charles in leagues that give a full pt in PPR and 1pt per 20yds in return yds? #2 or 3 RB?

He should be a lock to get 15-20 touches per game.

I'd put him at Kevin Smith level. Crap team, but like you said, almost a lock for 15+ touches. In that scoring format, he's a middle to low end RB2.

Yeah that sounds about right which mean he can definitely help your squad. I'll take a Kevin Smith level RB for FREE anytime, anywhere.

Makes me excited thinking about it but I want to temper expectations also.

Trying to do the same thing. With McFadden out/sucking and Derrick Ward not having anywhere near the run game involvement I thought he would, I'm relying on Charles to be my RB2 :/. We'll see though.

Same offensive line and not an every down back, and already splitting carries with Kolby Smith in practice, I think the Chiefs got to be planning on drafting true running back next year. Charles isn't really an improvement to Larry Johnson

As a Chiefs fan and watching them both run though, I think that Charles is a slight upgrade over LJ. LJ continously just ran into piles for 2-3 yards a carry. Charles tries to create space to get loose and has better big play ability. That's the upgrade I see over LJ.

I'll add that LJ simply is a NON-factor in the passing game. Plus in return yardage leagues Charles stock gets another upgrade.

I'll say this again, just about every year there there is a RB that emerges. When he does for the most part owners are skeptical and they miss the train pulling out of the station.

If he hits based on opportunity and talent, then those owners who gambled and picked him up get a serious boost to their starting lineups.

If he busts then they lose little considering he's a WW pickup.

How many RBs this season have come clost tp meeting or exceeding their expected ADP production/outlook this year thus far? Forte? Barber? LT? Chris Johnson? Portis? Gore? Westbrook? P. Thomas? Jacobs? Ward? R. Bush? Moreno? That's 12 names right there.

I don't know how much plainly I can state that Charles is little to no risk but has great upside if he pans out.

I'll take that type of gamble all day despite all of the naysayers. Hell it's the reason I was able to get him off waivers to begin with, because no one believes in him becoming a fantasy factor this season.

I don't feel that way about Charles in a standard league. What are we looking at here, 60-80 total yards a game, 12 or so carries with the occasional touchdown. The same horrible O-line that LJ had to deal with isn't going away anytime soon. So unless return yardage are counted I'm not that excited. Now I do have Gore and two surprising studs in Ray Rice and Cedric Benson so I have no pressing need at RB so maybe that's what's curbing my enthusiasm but I doubt it. If he was going to get all the carries then maybe, but if he's splitting with Smith no thanks, especially on that crappy team. Still if you have the bench space and have unlimited waiver wire moves then by all means indulge yourself. On a sidenote, is a 10 team league where you have to fill 18 roster spots more or less competive than a 12 teamer with 9 rosters spots to fill?

KC is a terrible team but almost all starting RBs should be owned in standard size leagues and standard scoring formats. If Jamal Lewis, Kevin Smith, and Cadillac can be owned despite their offensive situation then Charles can. I have no idea if he'll be successful or not, but he has the pedigree, talent, and skills to be successful. His opportunity and situation may hold him back, but he's a better fit for the Chiefs offense at this time, especially considering they will be playing from behind a bunch. 12-18 touches in a bad offense is still worth owning. If he can solve his ball control issues then I think he can be relatively successful. What does that translate into in fantasy? Maybe RB3/4 depending on the league, possibly RB2 if he really plays well. Remember, if he stays in school, he's may have been a late 1st rounder or 2nd.....He's a good speculative add for those that need the help. If you don't, then kudos to you....