Jamaal Charles: Complete Fantasy Profile and Draft Strategy

Jamaal Charles is back in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform after suffering an ACL injury in Week 2 last season. Because of his reliance on quick cuts, Charles' injury should make fantasy football owners wary on draft day.

However, that doesn't mean you should take a "hands-off" approach. The Chiefs brought in powerful Peyton Hillis to share the load with the shifty Charles, and that contingency plan should drive his value.

Injuries play a major role in a running back's fantasy status, and Charles is one of a handful of ball-carriers who will be impacted by fragility.

Here's Charles' full fantasy breakdown:

Where You Should Draft Him

Don't take Charles in the first round, but you don't want to wait too long either. Depending on the size of your league, he's not going to make it out of the second round.

Make sure you scoop him up before the Top 25 picks are done.

Average Draft Position

According to ESPN.com, Charles' average draft position (ADP) is 24.7. That's going to fluctuate a bit depending on who your playing with and how much they trust Charles' knee.

Position Rank

ESPN.com has Charles as their No. 9 running back, one slot behind DeMarco Murray and one ahead of Adrian Peterson. I'd say this is about right when you look at the names around him.

Many running backs are either recovering from injury or injury-prone.

Latest Injury News

Charles has participated in the Chiefs' preseason games, and he doesn't look any worse for wear. This coincides with Chris Mortensen's report (per NBCSports.com) in May that the Chiefs have "no concerns whatsoever."

Season Projections

Charles' best season came in 2010 when he split carries with Thomas Jones, so sharing duties with Hillis this season season shouldn't scare you away.

The Chiefs will use each player in roles that suit them, and Charles will still have opportunities to break long runs.

ESPN.com has Charles carrying the ball 247 times for 1,215 yards and three touchdowns. They also have him catching 40 balls for 390 yards and two touchdowns. I think those carries are a bit high, but I'll leave that up to you.

Bye Week Info

Kansas City has off Week 7. Miami, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Denver and San Diego also have off that week.

That could impact your choice if you also had your eye on LeSean McCoy, Michael Turner, Willis McGahee, Daniel Thomas or Reggie Bush.

Splits

I already mentioned Hillis' impact in the backfield. In the preseason, Hillis has two more carries than Charles.

I'd expect Charles to get 55-60 percent of the carries with Hillis earning 40-45 percent, including most of the goal-line looks. Cyrus Gray and Nate Eachus could see a few touches as well.

Running Backs in Same Tier You Should Take First

Charles falls between Murray and Peterson in ESPN's rankings. Murray should be taken before you consider Charles, but Peterson is a bit murkier because of his recovering knee.

You should also take Darren McFadden and Fred Jackson before you take Charles' name off the board.

Running Backs in Same Tier You Should Take After Charles

Charles' touchdown totals depreciate his value, but I would still take him over Steven Jackson, Ryan Mathews and Trent Richardson. All hold a similar value, but Charles' versatility makes him a more intriguing pick.

Summary

Charles' knee, and Hillis' red-zone presence, makes his value iffy, but he's still a very capable second- or third-round selection.

With so many running backs facing durability issues, Charles' big-play ability makes him more than worth the risk as a No. 2 running back, or No. 1, depending on your pick beforehand.