Fantasy sheep were quick to forget Preseason Darling Darwin Thompson. Savvy owners won’t be so short-term in their thinking. Despite his chance to be an explosive weapon in the league’s most dangerous offense, Thompson has been discarded in all but 25% of leagues. Yet, with both Damien Williams (knee) and LeSean McCoy (ankle) dinged up, Thompson’s time to shine may come sooner than most realize.
Simply put: Thompson has the talent to steal this job outright. Should that happen, he’d be a genuine season winner.
Indeed, Thompson has been nonexistent through two weeks. Firmly behind Williams and McCoy, he’s amassed a grand total of 4 yards on two touches. According to Andy Reid, Thompson must show an improved grasp of pass-protection — often a thorn in rookie runners sides.
Still, the season is long, and Thompson’s ceiling is truly limitless. Between injuries and ineffectiveness in front of him, Thompson’s chances to reach this upside have grown considerably.
Recall: Thompson may be only 185 lbs, but he’s a bowling ball of muscle. All preseason, he broke tackles, flashed as a receiver, juked out defenders, and ripped chunk gains up the gut and on the outside. He earned praise from Patrick Mahomes and Reid alike, and was a popular Top-100 selection by draft season.
Though Shady’s late arrival has been an early-season hurdle, he limped to 23 yards on 11 carries last game while hurting his ankle. Williams has displayed a “noticeable limp” since suffering a knee contusion. In our eyes, Thompson just needs that chance to show how much more he can bring to the offense, and it’s arrived sooner than ever.
Stash now before you have to blow all your FAAB to acquire the Chiefs next juggernaut RB.
