Chiefs rookie RB ready to open NFL season Thursday

Andy Reid will pace the sideline again this season for the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes is back under center. Travis Kelce returns at tight end, and Tyreek Hill will split out wide or in the slot again.

But there is one newcomer poised to help Kansas City in its quest for a second straight Super Bowl.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

“I’m going to be nervous. That’s just what it is. That goes to show that I’m a human and this is my first NFL game,” the rookie running back said. “I really don’t know what to expect. … Everything is kind of up in the air for everybody. Ultimately, my job is to put my helmet on and, whenever they call a play, do my job.”

Edwards-Helaire, a first-round pick from LSU, is assuming a key role in the backfield alongside Mahomes for the Chiefs, who open the NFL season Thursday night against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium. The 5-foot-7-inch, 207-pound Louisiana native is fresh off a national championship, but he knows the NFL is a different entity.

Not like he’s intimidated.

“I know what I expect for myself and I know what they expect from me at this organization,” Edwards-Helaire said.

He emerged during the 2019 season as one of the country’s premier running backs — capable of running between and outside the tackles, and catching passes out of the backfield. He capped his college career with 1,414 rushing yards on 6.6 yards per carry, 55 receptions for 453 yards and 17 total touchdowns.

The Chiefs invested the 32nd overall pick on him and named him their starter. He joins the NFL’s most explosive offense, which features arguably its best quarterback, tight end and wide receiver.

Miller to go on IR

Broncos coach Vic Fangio told reporters Wednesday that the team will place star linebacker Von Miller on injured reserve at some point. But he stopped short of ruling Miller out for the season.

“There’s a chance of that,” Fangio said. “But he’s definitely out for a while.”

Miller, 31, injured his ankle on the final play of practice Tuesday. Fangio said “it was just a normal play. He just rushed around the edge and never hit the ground (and) never looked bad. If you saw the video, you’d think nothing happened, but it did.”

The three-time All-Pro had eight sacks in 2019, his fewest during any season in which he played at least 15 games. But Miller was hoping to produce double-digit sacks this year like he had in seven of the eight previous seasons.

Broncos limit fans

Denver announced Tuesday that it will host a limited number of spectators at Empower Field at Mile High, beginning with its second home game Sept. 27 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Initial capacity will be 5,700, approximately 7.5 percent of the stadium’s maximum capacity of 76,125.

“The Broncos will continue to work closely with the state and public health experts, and they will together re-evaluate increasing fan attendance for future home games,” the team said.

The Raiders finish the regular season in Denver on Jan. 3.

Keeping it simple

New starting quarterback. Similar offensive schemes.

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said this week that his team didn’t make too many changes to its offense, despite transitioning from Philip Rivers to Tyrod Taylor.

“Because it was the type of offseason that we had, if it wasn’t broke, we didn’t fix it,” Lynn said. “I feel like the guys can play faster and play more physical and execute better.”

Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.