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Kansas City Chiefs Mailbag: Who Will Be KC's Leading Rusher At The End Of 2010?

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It's the Kansas City Chiefs mailbag time. Questions include Maurice Jones-Drew and Dwayne Bowe in fantasy football, stopping the Jaguars defense and a prediction on who the leading rusher will be in 2010.

We're back with the Kansas City Chiefs mailbag. It's Jacksonville Jaguars week so we have a few questions on them as well as a prediction on the Chiefs' leading rusher by the end of the season.

Fantasy football questions...start Bowe and MJD?

I'd start WR Dwayne Bowe. He's coming off of a solid game and I imagine the Chiefs want to keep up the momentum. Plus, the Jaguars are a poor pass defense just like the Houston Texans were. I'd start Bowe.

As for MJD, I'd start someone else if you have it. Maybe I'm a homer but I think the Chiefs will shut him down pretty well and keep him under 75 yards. If you have someone that can get 10 points, I'd go with them. If not, Jones-Drew should have quite a few opportunities because the Jags QB situation is in flux (which is another reason the Chiefs will load up to stop the run).

Any chance the Chiefs defense stops the Jags offense?

Yes. A very good chance. As I said above, the Jaguars will want to run the ball but that's the strength of the Chiefs defense. The Chiefs defense is very good against one-dimensional opponents so that doesn't bode well against Jacksonville.

The Jaguars are a run-first team and that'll be the case on Sunday because it appears David Garrard won't be playing. That means you'll have a backup quarterback going against the Chiefs corners. I'm taking KC in that matchup all day.

Bottomline: The Chiefs defense can stop the run and they'll make the Jags beat them through the air.

At the end of the season the Chiefs rushing leader will be....

This wasn't a question -- the emailer told me it would be Jamaal Charles. And I think he's correct.

Charles' per-carry average is a whopping 6.3. That would be good for tops in the league by the end of the year. The Chiefs will have to give it to Charles more as the season goes on because that average is too good to waste. But for now I'm happy with how the Chiefs are distributing the ball in the run game. They need to keep Charles involved -- his minimum carries should be around 15 each week.

There's nothing wrong with Thomas Jones. It's just that his game is built for the tough yards and not for the explosive plays you'll see from Charles. He has 13 more carries and 82 less yards than Charles.

So my guess is that Charles ends up around 1,200 but Jones will be pushing 1,000 before the end of the year.