Damien Williams Injury Uncertainty Improves LeSean McCoy and Darrel Williams Fantasy Value

The Kansas City Chiefs' starting running back job will always carry big value in fantasy football. They're the best offense in the NFL, and that means there is no shortage of opportunity to go around and that the touchdown upside is huge. This season, though, the KC backfield has been riddled with injuries.

There's been no update on Damien Williams since he was ruled out a couple days before Week 3's meeting with the Baltimore Ravens, and that's not a good sign for his status this week.

His injury sounds more like a bone bruise than just a knee contusion (which would be more on the surface.) If it's a mild bone bruise the recovery time is 2-3 weeks. If it's a more serious bone bruise it can be 5+ weeks, but I don't think that's the case here.
— Inside Injuries (@InsideInjuries) September 23, 2019

Williams was publicly diagnosed with a knee contusion, which is just a bruised knee. With no structural damage coming with contusions, Williams' playing status is more about pain tolerance than anything else. But with a Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions on tap, it's possible the Chiefs keep him out in preparation for a more difficult Week 5 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.

The #Chiefs ran the ball 26 times for 140 yards & a TD against a #Ravens defense that had allowed just 41 YARDS RUSHING TOTAL through two weeks.

Second-year RB Darrel Williams, who got some run w/ Damien Williams OUT & LeSean McCoy banged up (ankle), had 9 carries for 62 yards. pic.twitter.com/gsuomLcQEt
— BJ Kissel (@ChiefsReporter) September 22, 2019

Essentially a co-starter in the backfield with Williams is veteran LeSean McCoy, who finished with two touchdowns before making an early exit after "re-tweaking his injury" to his ankle, according to head coach Andy Reid. That doesn't seem too serious, so he can be expected to suit up in Week 4, again sharing the workload with Darrel Williams.

With Damien Williams out and McCoy hindered by an ankle injury, Darrel Williams saw the most work in the backfield last week. He finished the game as the lead rusher, taking nine carries for 62 yards while adding five catches for 47 yards.

As long as Damien Williams is out, both Darrel Williams and McCoy will carry plenty of fantasy football value against the Lions. McCoy sits 22nd at RB in our Week 4 fantasy football rankings.

Join FanDuel Sportsbook Today. New users get a risk-free bet up to $500. Join Now.