Clyde Edwards-Helaire's NFL Rookie of Year Odds improve with Chiefs' Damien Williams opting out

The biggest-name skill position player to opt-out of the 2020 NFL season during a coronavirus pandemic so far has been Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams choosing that option Wednesday. While that didn't affect any Chiefs futures odds as a team, it definitely shifted a few involving first-round rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who had been projected to share touches with Williams but now should be the clear-cut featured guy in that high-powered Kansas City offense.

Edwards-Helaire, the final pick of the 2020 first round out of LSU, had been +600 on the moneyline odds at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, which, believe it or not, no Kansas City Chiefs player has ever won. Now, CEH is +400, still behind only Bengals quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow (+225).

To lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns this season, CEH has jumped to +2800. The last Chief to win that title was Jamaal Charles with only 12 in 2013. William Hill currently is not listing Edwards-Helaire on the markets to lead the NFL in rushing yards or to win MVP but will be in the "coming days." Edwards-Helaire rushed for 1,414 yards and caught 55 passes for 453 yards with 17 total touchdowns during his final season at LSU.

Could Williams opting out lead the Chiefs to perhaps look into free agent running back Devonta Freeman, though? The other backs currently on the Kansas City roster are Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson from last season's team and free-agent addition DeAndre Washington.

The SportsLine Projection Model has not altered its projections of the Chiefs with Williams out as even though he was the team's top back last year -- he only rushed for 498 yards and five scores and caught 30 passes for 213 yards and two scores in 11 regular-season games. He was terrific in the playoffs, including a rushing and receiving score in the Super Bowl win over San Francisco.

The model still has the Chiefs at 11.5 wins and with a 21 percent chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions, second to Baltimore (23 percent). Kansas City opens the season Sept. 10 in the Kickoff Game currently at -10 on the NFL odds vs. the visiting Houston Texans.

WHICH 2020 FANTASY FOOTBALL SLEEPER SHOULD YOU SNATCH IN YOUR DRAFT? AND WHICH WR1 CANDIDATE CAN YOU WAIT ON UNTIL LATE? JOIN SPORTSLINE NOW TO GET 2020 FANTASY FOOTBALL CHEAT SHEETS FROM THE MODEL THAT WAS ALL OVER DERRICK HENRY'S HUGE SEASON, AND FIND OUT.