What can the Redskins expect from RB Roy Helu? Clearly we know he’s not the most durable back. That was the knock on him coming out of college and after knee problems in his first season and turf toe in his second, that rap hasn’t diminished. The ironic thing is Helu is the most well-built of the backs. But he’s a necessary weapon because of his speed and ability to make defenders miss on the outside. They don’t need him to carry 15 times a game, but they do need him to be a threat on screens, for example. He could use a little more patience and better vision on some of his runs to set up defenders, even on screens. But his touchdown vs. Seattle two years ago – hopping over a defender at the line – remains one few on this roster would make. So as long as he’s healthy, Helu should play a role. He has improved in protection, enough that it should not be an issue (two years ago he had a bad habit of lowering his head, losing sight of the rusher).
If Helu is healthy, he'll be the favorite for third-down duties, putting a dent in the upside of Alfred Morris. Morris didn't catch many passes in 2012, but started to catch a few towards the end of the season. A healthy Helu would likely put an end to that.
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