I think I like Damien Williams more than most. While Kansas City used a first-round pick on a running back, Williams has been there, he knows the offense, and he’s been productive.
Particularly in the passing game, with pass protection decisions and plays switching at the line of scrimmage, there could be a trust issue there. Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be mixed in, I’m sure, but I’m not sure they’ll he’ll really start shining before 2021.
Kansas City signed Williams in 2018. He started off that year as a backup (before Kareem Hunt imploded). He got a lot busier late that year, and he was their featured back most of last year.
Since showing up in KC, Williams has been on the field for at least half of the team’s offensive plays in 16 games – a season’s worth of work. He’s run for 1,020 yards in those games (averaging 4.8 per attempt), with another 514 yards on 65 receptions. And 21 touchdowns.
Williams has been at his best in the playoffs. He has been on the field for at least 75 percent of their offensive plays only five times, and those have been his five playoff games. And he’s scored 10 of those 21 touchdowns in those five playoff games.
I understand that Edwards-Helaire caught 55 passes last year at LSU. But right now, with his veteran smarts, I think Williams is a better passing-downs option for KC. Definitely at the start of the year, and maybe for all of this season. (KC also has another vet with considerable passing-downs experience – DeAndre Washington.)
| DAMIEN WILLIAMS (with significant playing time) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Result | No | Rec Yd | Run Yd | TD | Snap% |
| 2018 | Balt. | W 27-24 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 50% |
| 2018 | LAC | L 28-29 | 6 | 74 | 49 | 2 | 73% |
| 2018 | at Sea. | L 31-38 | 7 | 37 | 103 | 1 | 64% |
| 2018 | Oak. | W 35-3 | 1 | 8 | 51 | 1 | 52% |
| 2018 | •Ind. | W 31-13 | 5 | 25 | 129 | 1 | 75% |
| 2018 | •N.E. | L 31-37 | 5 | 66 | 30 | 3 | 79% |
| 2019 | at Jac. | W 40-26 | 6 | 39 | 26 | 1 | 66% |
| 2019 | at Oak. | W 28-10 | 3 | 48 | 8 | 0 | 52% |
| 2019 | Ind. | L 13-19 | 3 | 15 | 23 | 0 | 56% |
| 2019 | Min. | W 26-23 | 2 | 3 | 125 | 1 | 73% |
| 2019 | at Ten. | L 32-35 | 5 | 32 | 77 | 0 | 73% |
| 2019 | at Chi. | W 26-3 | 3 | 27 | 65 | 1 | 51% |
| 2019 | LAC | W 31-21 | 4 | 30 | 124 | 2 | 66% |
| 2019 | •Hou. | W 51-31 | 2 | 21 | 47 | 3 | 97% |
| 2019 | •Ten. | W 35-24 | 5 | 44 | 45 | 1 | 85% |
| 2019 | •vs. S.F. | W 31-20 | 4 | 29 | 104 | 2 | 86% |
—Ian Allan