There's nothing more important than confidence, and Jamaal Charles has it in spades, even coming off an injury-plagued 2014 season.
The Kansas City Chiefs running back is gearing up for a campaign in which he's expected to once again be one of the best backs in football, but he sees himself as even more than just a top-tier rusher.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm the LeBron of football," Charles said Saturday. "Because I can do so much."
While the comparison to Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James - the consensus best basketball player in the world, a four-time MVP, and two-time NBA champion - is a lofty one, Charles' nod to their shared versatility is fitting.
Where James shoots from outside, attacks the rim, and dominates on the block, Charles gets between the tackles, busts big runs outside, and is a major threat in the passing game. According to Pro Football Focus, Charles rated well on both short and intermediate passing routes, had one of the highest elusiveness ratings and breakaway percentages among all backs, and was at least average in pass protection. That's certainly doing "so much."
James has to play defense, and one NFL player can't singularly impact a game the way an NBA player can, but we'll let Charles have this one if he goes for 1,000 rushing yards for a fourth consecutive season in 2015.
Since entering the league in 2008, Charles ranks seventh in the NFL with 6,856 rushing yards, first in yards per attempt (5.5) among backs with at least 200 attempts, and 10th in running back receptions with 262. Considering he hopes to play six more seasons, the four-time Pro Bowler has plenty of time to further solidify his claim.
