KC Chiefs: Recap All 5 Players That Made The Top 100
KC Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
7th Season. Jamaal Charles. 25. player. 124. . Running Back
NUMBER 8 of 100
Last, but certainly not least, was running back Jamaal Charles, who finally cracked the top 10. Personally, I feel like this number is too low, and that Charles should have been in the top 5 instead of Adrian Peterson.
I can say that based on the numbers alone but, at the end of the day, it just goes to show how much respect the players still have for AP and deservedly so. Anyway, back to Charles, my other co-editor, John Viril, covered the news of Charles making the countdown.
"The NFL network cited Charles accounting for 40% of the Chiefs offense and his league-leading 19 touchdowns scored as reasons for his inclusion in the top 10. Eric Berry also appeared on the program, claiming that Charles’ speed and elusiveness in practice helped him prepare for games. Charles’ hallmark is his exceptional vision, that has allowed him to compile an NFL all-time best of 5.6 yards per carry. That’s where Charles truly shines—not Jim Brown, Bo Jackson, or all-time rushing leader Emmitt Thomas come close to Charles’ yards per carry mark. Among running backs, the closest is Jim Brown at 5.2 yards per carry. Charles had what many consider the best season of his 6-year career in Andy Reid‘s west-coast offense in 2013. Charles rushed for 1287 yards and caught 70 passes for a career best 693 yards receiving, to total 1980 yards of offense (2nd in the NFL to Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson)."
So basically, Jamaal Charles was the Chiefs offense last season. He had a serious case for league MVP, had Peyton Manning not gone on the terror he did.
I’ve hear arguments that Charles isn’t “elusive” and is only a straight ahead runner. That’s like saying girls don’t fart, it’s just ignorant. Charles is so smooth and hardly, if ever, loses stride in his jukes, spins, and cuts which goes hand-in-hand with his vision that John spoke of.
Jamaal is easily one of the ten best players in the NFL right now and I cannot wait to see what else he has in store.