26-year old running back Jamaal Charles is entering his 6th year in the league, and 6th in Kansas City. Coming off of injury in 2012, Charles had three monster games last year - @CLE, @NO, and vs. IND. The Chiefs' offense is much improved, so the spotlight is definitely on Charles to have a big 2013.
Alongside No. 1 ranked Adrian Peterson, and Patriots tailback Stevan Ridley, in 2012 Jamaal Charles was in an elite class of ball carriers who ranked top 7 in rushing attempts, rushing yards, yards per carry, and yards per game. I have Charles ranked as the No. 3 running back in PPR leagues; I'd give Doug Martin a slight edge in standard-scoring formats.

Chiefs' head coach Andy Reid compares Charles to two pro-bowl running backs who he coached in Philadelphia: "He's capable of doing the same things [Brian] Westbrook did [and LeSean] McCoy did, as far as the passing game. He's a legitimate threat with his speed, his route-running ability and his hands. He catches the ball very easily."

Despite all of the positive reports, I am still skeptical about Charles' consistency. When looking for that first-round RB stud in your fantasy leagues this year, make sure you know what you're getting into when you look at Jamaal Charles. He had 5 games in 2012 where he carried the ball for less than 50 yards; and 11 games where he failed to find the end zone. In 2011 Charles only played 2 due to injury. In 2010, he found the end zone 8 times, but only eclipsed 100 yards rushing 4 times.

Charles' is the type of fantasy back who will win four games for you; by himself. He will also have 3-4 games where he doesn't break 8 fantasy points. While Andy Reid and Alex Smith will absolutely benefit Charles' numbers, I'd recommend looking at RB2 options who are less explosive, and more consistent (such as Frank Gore) to offset Charles' inconsistencies.

@NFLMind