Week 3 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Chase Edmonds is splitting time with James Conner, but has seen the field for 61% of the team’s offensive snaps thus far, including 64% last week in a shootout with the Vikings. Edmonds finished the game with eight carries and five receptions for 75 total yards from scrimmage. He’ll continue to have value in PPR formats, with nine catches already through two games.
This week, Edmonds gets a nice matchup against the Jaguars, who allowed a touchdown to three different running backs against Houston in Week 1, and gave up 96 yards on the ground against Denver. Expect another 10+ touches and significant targets for Edmonds, giving him low-end RB2 value with upside in PPR formats.
Week 2 vs. Minnesota Vikings
James Conner had 16 carries for 53 yards last week against the Titans, and played on 49% of the team’s offensive snaps, solidifying the Cardinals’ backfield as a straight-up committee. It was encouraging to see that kind of workload for Conner, even if he looks unlikely to have much of a receiving role.
Conner gets a nice matchup for Week 2 against a Vikings defense that gave up over 100 yards and a touchdown to Joe Mixon last week and ranked 23rd in aFPA to opposing running backs in 2020. Because of his potential workload, especially if the Cardinals shut down the Vikings like they did the Titans in Week 1, Conner has solid low-end RB2 or flex potential, especially in standard-scoring leagues. He looks like he’ll be fairly touchdown-dependent though, so managers looking for a high ceiling will be crossing fingers he hits pay dirt.
Week 1 at Tennessee Titans
Chase Edmonds set career highs in every statistical category last year playing complementary back to Kenyan Drake. Most notably, he caught 53 of 67 targets and had four receiving touchdowns. Those numbers – at the very least – don’t look to decrease with Drake now in Las Vegas, even if newly-acquired James Conner fills some of the two-down role.
For Week 1, Edmonds faces a Titans defense that ranked 28th in aFPA to opposing running backs last year, so there’s upside for him to produce in what could be a nice matchup. Edmonds shouldn’t be counted on for a full workload until we see the Cardinals commit to doing so, but he has considerable upside as a flex option with RB2 potential, particularly in PPR leagues.
Fantasy Upside
Arizona was in need of another running back after letting Kenyan Drake go in free agency. That means Chase Edmonds will be paired with former Steeler James Conner, who signed with the team in April. It's expected that they'll share reps and responsibilities in coach Kliff Kingsbury's offense that asks running backs to be both rushers and receivers. ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss contends the "Cardinals added much-needed depth in the backfield" when Conner agreed to terms with the club. We'll see about that. A fourth-round pick in 2018, Edmonds accounted for 850 yards from scrimmage in 2020 -- 448 rushing, 402 receiving -- and had five total touchdowns. According to ESPN's Matthew Berry, Edmonds was fifth last season in fantasy points per touch (minimum 100 touches), and if you give him more touches, it's not unreasonable to expect him to score more.
Fantasy Downside
We don't know if he's actually capable of handling a true featured role. Last year's 97 carries and 67 targets were career highs. Those 2020 numbers were compiled on a 46 percent snap share and Edmonds has played a secondary/complementary role throughout his first three seasons.
2021 Bottom Line
The counter to that argument is that in nine career games with 10-plus touches, Edmonds has averaged 15.1 points per game. As Berry summed up. "Edmonds has true three-down back ability, and this is a good offense in which there will be a lot of opportunity (Drake actually led the NFL in goal-to-go carries last season)." Edmonds will have to battle Conner for some of those goal-line touches. But the Cardinals clearly believe in Edmonds. Expect him to be the leader of this committee.
Week 17 at Los Angeles Rams
Chase Edmonds went into last week’s tilt against the 49ers a bit nicked up and had just two receptions for eight yards on the day. It was his worst game of the season. Edmonds is inconsistent due to his complementary role, but can put up numbers occasionally, and still has some deep-league PPR value as the season closes out. He’s caught 51 balls this year. The Rams are a tough matchup, so even if he’s healthy, fantasy owners should be cautious using him. But if you need a couple of guaranteed points in PPR formats, he’s not a bad option if you’re desperate.
Week 16 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Chase Edmonds had a nice game last week against the Eagles, catching three balls and getting 11 carries for a total of 66 yards and a touchdown. He out-touched Kenyan Drake, which hasn’t been a common occurrence this season. Edmonds is risky to trust because of his time-share with Drake, but he’s been active in the passing game all year, averaging 4.4 targets per game.
This week, Edmonds faces a 49ers defense that ranks 14th in aFPA to opposing running backs. If he can get another 14 touches, he has RB2 potential, but his workload risk makes him more in line with RB3 territory. Give him a slight bump in full PPR formats, but note his considerable downside as part of a timeshare. We have him ranked just outside our top-30 backs this week.
Week 15 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Chase Edmonds had seven carries and four receptions last week for a total of 53 yards in a blowout victory over the Giants. Edmonds has averaged 9.2 touches per game over his past five, a trend that’s likely to continue for as long as Kenyan Drake is healthy. Against the Eagles this week, expect similar numbers and similar touches for Edmonds in a complementary role, giving him low-end RB3 potential in deep, PPR formats.
Week 14 at New York Giants
Chase Edmonds had six carries and a pair of receptions last week for 43 total yards in a loss to the Rams. He continues to be a complementary player to Kenyan Drake, with 6-11 touches in each of his past four games. With Drake still healthy, expect Edmonds to get a similar workload once again, putting him just outside fantasy territory in most league formats. He does have 42 receptions this season, so deep PPR leagues might see him worth a flyer as an RB3, but in most leagues, he’s best considered a handcuff.
Week 13 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Chase Edmonds has taken a back seat to Kenyan Drake all season, but he’s still getting change-of-pace touches, especially in the passing game. He has 40 receptions on the year, and had 10 touches last week in a tough matchup against the Patriots. This week, Edmonds is a low-end RB3 option in deeper leagues against a tough Rams defense that ranks sixth in aFPA to opposing running backs. PPR formats give him a little extra value since he’s caught at least three balls in all but two games this year, but he’s a risky option in most leagues.
Week 12 at New England Patriots
Chase Edmonds found the end zone last week on a reception, but he only had six touches with Kenyan Drake getting the bulk of the work in the run game. Edmonds has been productive with his limited touches, with 49 yards and a touchdown last week, and 77 yards on 11 touches the previous game. So he isn’t without value.
This week, Edmonds faces a Patriots defense that ranks 18th in aFPA to opposing running backs. That’s a pretty good matchup and a game where Edmonds should get some opportunities in the passing game. He’s risky with Drake active, but has upside, particularly in PPR formats. We have him ranked as an RB3 or a fringe-flex option in most leagues.
