Jamaal Charles continues to remain No. 2 on the Chiefs’ depth chart, and coach Todd Haley told the press on Tuesday (via the Kansas City Star) that the running back’s role has yet to be determined.

No, what has yet to be determined is if Haley would want to challenge Ravens coach John Harbaugh and Texans coach Gary Kubiak as the most befuddling for fantasy football owners.

Coach Haley, a word please. Charles is going to be your starting running back. I appreciate your motivating tactics. Many fantasy owners do, seeing that they are investing high draft picks on Charles. But let’s allow the young man to take the reins as the No. 1 running back and be done with it.

NFL.com news desk stalwart Aron Angel made a good analogy to Charles being in a similar spot to Ravens RB Ray Rice, who loses some touchdowns to Willis McGahee. Charles, like Rice, is still a solid runner and can catch the ball out of the backfield.

As I noted in the fantasy blog on Saturday, Charles clearly emerged as the leader in the clubhouse for the Chiefs starting job. He looks so explosive for the Chiefs, that it is hard to imagine him being second to anybody in the backfield. Charles has to be the top guy, with Thomas Jones coming in for that “closers” role.

Although, you figure the Chiefs will be trailing a lot, meaning that there might not be many opportunities to close, but you get the gist of it.

So while Haley may say otherwise, I believe it is pretty safe to proceed as if Charles is going to be the No. 1 back in Kansas City.

– Adam Rank

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