GusEdwards

News: 4 days agoEdwards rushed 14 times for 68 yards and two touchdowns and brought in one of two targets for three yards in the Chargers' 34-27 win over the Broncos on Thursday night.

Spin: Edwards was the surprising leader of the Chargers' ground attack Thursday night with his highest carry total since Week 2 and best rushing yardage tally of the campaign. The veteran back also flashed his signature red-zone prowess by recording one- and five-yard rushing scores in the first and third quarters, respectively. Edwards' rookie backfield mate Kimani Vidal carried just five times and didn't see any targets, so the former should head into a Week 17 road matchup against the Patriots on Saturday, Dec. 28 with the lead-back job in hand.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: One of the game's more underrated rushers, Edwards found himself an advantageous arrangement by signing with the Chargers. Coach Jim Harbaugh, as well as offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who served in the same role for Edwards' 2018-21 Ravens teams, are committed to a run-heavy offense. Edwards has averaged 4.9 yards and 2.07 yards after first contact per carry, as well as a 29.6% big-play rate, in his six-year NFL career, all of which rank among the position's top 20 (minimum 300 attempts) in that span. He also converted on a sparkling eight of nine goal-line tries in 2023. Because Edwards scarcely contributes in the receiving game, he's a better non-PPR pick than PPR, but he could serve as a weekly flex.