Can We Count on Kenyan Drake?

Arizona Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake has been a disappointment and could be a bust in fantasy football leagues. Dom evaluates Drake's performance and potential in the rest of the 2020 NFL season.

After a top-four finish following his trade from Miami to Arizona, running back Kenyan Drake was all the hype coming into fantasy drafts this season. With Arizona giving him the transition tag and the $10 million that came with it, the thought was he would be used heavily this season. So far, it has not been the case.

So far in 2020, Drake has only carried the ball 67 times through four games. On those carries, he has an average of only 3.8 y/a and a total of 254 yards. With only one TD thus far, all of his numbers are well down over what was expected when he was drafted as the RB 13 as pick 2.3 in 12-team leagues.

So now the real question we need to answer is what to do with him. Is he the type of player on a team you want to be patient with? Or is he someone you need to get rid of? Of course, there are many variables to this. So, I will do my best to provide you information needed to make an informed decision for your circumstance.

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What's the Deal?

The biggest problem with Drake this far has not been his rushing work. At 16.75 carries per game, he is getting the work needed to succeed. The issue has become a phrase we are all too familiar with from following the New England Patriots - "running game through the air."

Instead of running the ball with Drake or even Chase Edmonds, the Cardinals are using their full complement of receivers to get the job done. Whether it be behind-the-line screens or long shots downfield, Arizona is using their receivers for the entire offense. After having 50 receptions on 68 total targets in 2019, Drake comes into Week 5 with only five receptions on five targets in 2020, which is eighth on the Cardinals. That barely puts him on the radar when it comes to value through the air game in this Air Raid offense.

The health of Andy Isabella and the arrival of DeAndre Hopkins have made Arizona a better team. They have also hurt the production level of Drake. This means we need to lower our expectations for him.

The offensive line which was a mess last season has not improved as much as hoped when they drafted Joshua Jones in the third round of the NFL draft. While the Cardinals do not rely on the TE position as a receiver, Maxx Williams was a big loss for them. He was their blocking TE and gave help to a suspect line. Hybrid WR/TE Dan Arnold is a capable receiver but is grading at a 49.1 in run blocking from PFF - eighth-worst among all tight ends who've taken a snap this year. Darrell Daniels has been better but not great at a 63.8 RBLK grade. Both are much better pass protectors, which is the focus of this offense. The blocking isn't doing Drake many favors and might not going forward.

Should He Stay or Should He Go?

The simple answer? Trade him now. This is easier said than done, though. Everyone in your league has seen his struggles.

He is coming off a game against a bad Carolina Panthers Defense in which he only managed 35 yards on 13 rushes. This followed a game against a miserable Lions front seven in which he managed 73 yards on 18 carries. If you try to trade him now, the return is likely to be minimal. With this said, he faces the New York Jets this week. If he is unable to get right in this matchup, sans Jamal Adams and C.J. Mosley, best to trade him for something before it's too late.

Those who have the luxury of keeping Drake benched or made strong-enough waiver pickups like James Robinson early in the year might want to acquire someone like Le'Veon Bell, who could be more productive down the playoff stretch. If you have a Drake truther who feels he might be getting a steal from you, offer him for someone like James Conner. Realistically, you could fetch a player like Antonio Gibson who is talented but plays for a bad team and hasn't seen as much usage as his managers would like. It's all relative to your league's settings and the GMs involved, of course.

Conclusion

There is no easy answer when it comes to Kenyan Drake. If you trade him now, you may not get a lot for him. If you wait, hoping he balls out against the Jets, it may work out or blow up in your face. The thing to do seems to be to stand pat and continue to use him, hoping for the best. Just realize he is not going to be the breakout RB1 you had hoped for.

He is likely going to be an RB2 going forward this season unless the offensive line can get figured out in the desert. If so, you might have that RB1 for your playoff push.

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