It’s a rough start to the season for the Kansas City Chiefs and now that Jamaal Charles might be out for more than just week, they need backup running back Knile Davis to step up in his place.
The 22-year old out of Arkansas already had a chance late last season to play as a feature back with the Chiefs putting Charles on hold before the playoffs. He got 54 touches over the last two games for the team and in his only start during a week 17 game against the Oakland Raiders he rushed for 81 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
Davis was one of the few beacons of sunshine in the loss to the Denver Broncos, getting to carry the ball 22 times for 79 yards and a couple of touchdowns while Charles, suffering from a high ankle sprain, couldn’t help out. He hasn’t been that helpful since the season began, getting only 46 yards on 14 touches, which is probably the biggest reason why the Chiefs have looked so bad since the campaign began.
Andy Reid is giving anything up regarding the number of touches he’ll be giving Davis or Charles will be able to play at all. And yet, from his remarks, it’s quite safe to say that Davis is going to be getting a lot of touches next game against the Dolphins.
I don’t think it will change much from what you saw on Sunday. He was involved in a lot of different areas. I’m not saying number of carries or anything, but you saw him going in and playing a few different ways.
Davis isn’t Charles. He doesn’t have those game-breaking skills or speed, but is capable of taking punishment and providing a reliable alternative. Considering Charles averaged 21.9 touches per game last season, Davis should be able to handle that kind of workload without letting it show in decreased production, at least for a few weeks before Charles gets back from his injury.