Kenyan Drake

Week 2 vs. Washington Football Team

Kenyan Drake had a modest start to the season with 65 total yards, including a pair of receptions, and a rushing touchdown. Those aren’t elite numbers, but against one of 2019’s best defenses, it was encouraging just to see him get 18 total touches. If Drake continues to get that workload throughout the season, he’ll absolutely be worth his lofty draft price.

This week, Drake will face a Washington defense that held the Eagles’ running backs to just 55 yards on 16 carries last week. They have a strong defensive line that can be elite when healthy. Drake should fare better with a better offense around him and a healthier offensive line. The Eagles have been decimated. Still, expect Drake to have similar numbers to last week, with a chance to aid his rushing production with work in the receiving game and a decent shot at a touchdown. We have him as a fringe RB1 this week.

Fantasy Upside
After withering away in Miami, Kenyan Drake found new life in Arizona following a mid-season trade (for what turned out to be a fifth-round pick) last season. In eight games with the Cardinals, Drake rushed for 643 yards (5.2 yards a carry) with eight touchdowns. He added another 171 yards on 28 receptions. A perfect fit in Kliff Kingsbury's system, Drake's versatility made him a movable chess piece once he got to the desert. During that eight-game run, Drake played 381 (79 percent) of 483 possible snaps. He handled 123 (85 percent) of the 144 carries and 35 (81 percent) of the 43 targets by the team's running backs during the span. As ESPN's Mike Clay noted, "That is full-on workhorse usage, and we should expect a similar role in 2020." In fact, the trade sending David Johnson to Houston locks Drake into a high-end featured role, and the addition of DeAndre Hopkins (received in return for Johnson) should open up the field even more for Drake both as a rusher and receiver. One last note here: Playing on the transition tag this season means Drake will have ample financial motivation when he hits the field this fall.

Fantasy Downside
If you're looking for some downside, Drake had struggled to emerge as more than a role player since joining the league in 2016 and his 817 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground were both career highs last season. For his career, he has 2,175 yards on the ground, and 1,107 through the air, with 23 touchdowns total.

2020 Bottom Line
Still, Drake is clearly a great fit in Arizona and his super-strong finish (Drake ran for a combined total of 303 yards and six touchdowns in Weeks 15 and 16 last season) is going to stick with fantasy owners. And it should. Those concerned about his ability to handle that role all season could invest in Chase Edmonds as a handcuff. But Drake is well-positioned to continue his role.

Week 16 at Seattle Seahawks

Kenyan Drake was a monster last week against the Browns, carrying the ball 22 times for 137 yards and four touchdowns! It was the first time Drake found the end zone since his first game with the Cardinals back on Halloween and it resulted in the Cardinals’ first win in eight games. Drake averaged 6.2 yards per carry after just in 2.8 over his previous two games combined.

This week, a repeat performance would be a lot to ask against the Seahawks, but Drake should still be a solid fantasy option. Seattle ranks 12th in aFPA to opposing running backs, but Drake has a high floor due to the workload he’s likely to get. Drake has had no fewer than 14 touches in every game since arriving in Arizona and he’s firmly supplanted David Johnson as the lead back. We have him inside our top 20 this week, making him a solid RB2 option in all league formats.