Report: 'Hope Is' Chiefs' Edwards-Helaire Can Return from Injury for Playoffs

Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss the rest of the regular season after suffering both a high-ankle sprain and a strained hip in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

"The hope is he can return during the postseason," Schefter added.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network later added Edwards-Helaire will "have a shot" at the playoffs depending on how his rehab goes:

Edwards-Helaire exited the Chiefs' Week 15 victory with what the team called hip and leg injuries. Head coach Andy Reid told reporters that preliminary X-rays had been negative.

The Chiefs invested a lot in Edwards-Helaire, selecting him with the final pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. His on-field returns have been somewhat mixed while showing signs of promise.

The former LSU star has run for 803 yards and four touchdowns, with the bulk of that production coming in Kansas City's Week 1 win over the Houston Texans and Week 6 victory over the Buffalo Bills. Those two games account for 299 of his yards.

As long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy, the running game is more of a luxury than a necessity for the Chiefs. From that perspective, losing Edwards-Helaire is obviously a blow but not one that significantly disrupts Kansas City's offense.

Having a three-time Pro Bowler in the backfield helps, too. Le'Veon Bell hasn't done a whole lot since signing with the team, but this might be the time Andy Reid uses him to devastating effect.