Jamaal Charles, the top-scoring running back in fantasy football last season, got off to a very sluggish start in Week 1.
Playing behind a much different offensive line than the one that blocked for him a season ago, Charles managed just 3.4 fantasy points in standard leagues on Sunday.
The consensus top-2 fantasy pick failed to find open lanes against a Tennessee Titans defense few would rank among the league's best. Charles finished the game 7-for-19 on the ground and 4-for-15 through the air. He didn't score a touchdown.
Charles will eventually find open spaces - he's simply too good not to - and the Chiefs' new offensive line will improve. But it could be an uphill battle for Charles to match or even approach his numbers from a season ago.
The Chiefs still lack other weapons on offense, allowing defenses to key on Charles every play. Perhaps more importantly, the 2014 Chiefs defense looks inferior to the 2013 model. Charles probably won't be set up with a short field as much as he was last year, and he probably won't get to grind out carries in games the Chiefs are leading with nearly the same frequency.
