Kansas City Chiefs Fine Without Jamaal Charles Week 1

The Kansas City Chiefs may open the season with star running back Jamaal Charles.

Coach Andy Reid told reporters Friday that the running back could sit out Week 1, but didn’t rule Charles out. Star running backs are coming back from torn ACL’s faster than ever but Charles is a bit off that pace. And head coach has his concerns about him going into the season opener.

He told ESPN, “I think Jamaal is going to need a little time to keep working to get himself back. We’ll see how he does after a couple of days off.”

Charles is still rehabbing an ACL tear he suffered in Week 5 last season. And so far, the Chiefs have taken things slow with him, sitting him out of the entire 2016 preseason. The Chiefs probably should have done that with him if he was completely healthy.

Star running backs generally don’t see preseason action to preserve their bodies for the real season. And if the Chiefs take it a step further, leaking it into to Week 1, in this case, it’s a good idea. As much of a star as Charles is, this situation is easily survivable.

Remember, the Chiefs were 1-4 in the first five games with Charles and the team went 10-1 without him. They were able to do so because they have one of the deepest backfields in the NFL.

Spencer Ware, a bruising back, went to work down the stretch of last season when. He racked up 403 yards on 72 attempts, resulting in a solid 5.6 yards per carry average. Ware has also  looked good in the team’s training camp and preseason. Charcandrick West looks like he’s next in line to carry the ball out of the Chiefs’ backfield.

The Chiefs could even keep talented third-stringer Knile Davis until Charles is ready.

They will handle missing Charles just fine!