Pacheco has looked better in his past two games against Baltimore and Jacksonville, with 14 carries for 71 yards and five catches for 33 yards and a touchdown on six targets. But that's still not enough work to trust him in the majority of leagues as anything more than a flex option, and he continues to lose touchdown chances to Kareem Hunt. Pacheco has been at 11 total touches or less in every game this season, has yet to rush for more than 45 yards, and has no rushing touchdowns. The Lions are No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season, and Pacheco has minimal upside in this matchup at home.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Gains 56 yards on 10 touches
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Pacheco carried the ball seven times for 36 yards while adding three receptions for 20 yards in Monday's 31-28 loss to the Jaguars.
Pacheco excelled on a per-carry basis (5.1 YPC) while garnering the most targets out of the backfield for Kansas City on Monday. That's where the good news ends, as fellow RB Kareem Hunt found the end zone twice on his seven rushing attempts in the loss. Pacheco's fantasy value continues to be doused by the presence of his veteran teammate in an even timeshare, a scenario that should continue repeating itself against the Lions on Sunday.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: RBs to Sit
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Pacheco scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 4 against Baltimore on a reception, but he finished with nine total touches. He continues to share playing time with Kareem Hunt and Breshard Smith, and ESPN reported Wednesday that Smith could continue to get more work moving forward. The Jaguars also have been tough to run on, and Jacksonville is one of the three teams along with Seattle and the Rams that have yet to allow a rushing touchdown. Pacheco is a flex option at best in the majority of leagues in Week 5.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: First score of 2025
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Pacheco rushed the ball seven times for 35 yards in Sunday's 37-20 win over the Ravens. He added two receptions on three targets for eight yards and a touchdown.
Kareem Hunt saw more volume in the game with 14 touches, though he averaged an abysmal 2.6 yards per attempt and played 32 snaps on offense to Pacheco's 27. Pacheco was more efficient, logging a long run of 12 yards while also finding the end zone for the first time in 2025 with an eight-yard touchdown catch late in the second quarter. Pacheco will be difficult to trust so long as he's splitting opportunities with Hunt, but he's showcased improved efficiency and volume in the last two games.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: RBs to Sit
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I thought Pacheco had the chance to play well against the Giants in Week 3 since the matchup was great, and I expected the Chiefs to finally be playing with a lead for the first time all season. Even though that happened in a 22-9 Kansas City victory, Pacheco only had 10 carries for 45 yards and one catch for 3 yards on one target. He's now scored 5.8 PPR points or less in three games in a row, and he's losing valuable touches to Kareem Hunt, who scored a rushing touchdown against the Giants. I'd rather start Hunt ahead of Pacheco in Week 4 against the Ravens, but neither one is anything more than a flex option in deeper leagues.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Leads backfield with 45 yards
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Pacheco took 10 carries for 45 yards and caught his only target for three yards in Sunday's 22-9 win over the Giants.
Pacheco was far more efficient with his 10 carries in Sunday's win compared to the paltry 22 rushing yards he managed in Week 2. The positive news ends there, as backup Kareem Hunt also received 10 carries while punching in Kansas City's only rushing touchdown on the evening. It appears a timeshare has developed in the Chiefs' backfield, limiting Pacheco to a flex option at best against the Ravens next Sunday.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Sleeper RBs
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Pacheco has struggled through two games this season with 15 carries for 47 yards and three catches for 10 yards on five targets, but the Chiefs have faced the Chargers and Eagles, which are tough matchups. Along with that, Kansas City was trailing in those games, and the Chiefs should have an easier time in Week 3 at the Giants. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Javonte Williams have each rushed for at least 82 yards and a touchdown against the Giants in two games, and I like Pacheco as a flex option in this matchup.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Struggles on 10 carries Sunday
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Pacheco rushed 10 times for 22 yards while catching one of two targets for seven yards in Sunday's 20-17 loss to Philadelphia.
Pacheco struggled to find any running room against the Eagles' front seven, averaging a paltry 2.2 yards per tote in another forgettable fantasy showing. Things got so bleak that QB Patrick Mahomes wound up finishing as Kansas City's leading rusher on just seven attempts (66 yards and a touchdown). The 0-2 Chiefs' offense is in shambles to begin the season, but Pacheco retains the highest fantasy potential of any of the team's backfield options heading into next Sunday's tilt against the Giants.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: RBs to Sit
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If there's a positive that can come out of Xavier Worthy (shoulder) getting injured while Rashee Rice (suspended) is out, then maybe it's Pacheco getting more touches as the Chiefs lean on their ground game. While he led the Chiefs in snaps in Week 1 against the Chargers in Brazil at 51 percent, Pacheco only had five carries for 25 yards and two catches for 3 yards on three targets. Kareem Hunt replaced Pacheco in short-yardage situations, and we can't trust him in this role moving forward. In Week 2, Pacheco is also facing an Eagles defense that gets Jalen Carter back after he was ejected in Week 1 against Dallas for spitting. Kansas City's backfield of Pacheco, Hunt, and Samaje Perine combined for seven carries for 24 yards and no touchdowns in Super Bowl LIX against Philadelphia and two catches for 10 yards on four targets. There's few scenarios where I want to start Pacheco in any Fantasy format in Week 2.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Limited touches in Week 1 loss
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Pacheco rushed five times for 25 yards and brought in two of three targets for three yards in the Chiefs' 27-21 loss to the Chargers on Friday night.
The Chiefs were down by a touchdown after one quarter and trailed throughout, which played a part in Pacheco seeing a modest workload. Additionally, backfield mate Kareem Hunt matched Pacheco's carry total, while Patrick Mahomes paced the Chiefs with both his six rush attempts and 57 rushing yards. Despite Friday's usage, Pacheco still profiles as Kansas City's top running back heading into a Week 2 Super Bowl rematch with the Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 14.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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It's exciting that Pacheco appears back to his old self after suffering a broken leg last season in Week 2. When he returned to action in Week 13, he struggled, but his performance in training camp and the preseason has been encouraging. We'll see how Kansas City uses its running backs in Week 1 against the Chargers along with Kareem Hunt, Elijah Mitchell and Brashard Smith, but I expect Pacheco to be the lead the team in touches. That said, this is a tough matchup against the Chargers, who finished No. 6 last season in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. And the Chargers were No. 1 in fewest rushing touchdowns allowed to running backs with four. I'm fine with Pacheco as a flex in this game in Brazil, but I would temper expectations for him in this matchup. I'm also worried about Pacheco's role in the passing game, and I'll take the under on his reception total prop on FanDuel, which is 1.5.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Big gain on only touch Friday
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Pacheco had one reception for 22 yards and did not record a rushing attempt in Friday's 33-16 preseason loss to the Seahawks.
Pacheco came out with the first-team offense and was limited to just one touch for the second consecutive preseason tilt. The 26-year-old has little to prove heading into the regular season, but he still fought for 22 yards on his only target Friday. If he suits up, expect Pacheco to be limited once again in Kansas City's final exhibition contest against Chicago next Friday.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Thursday that Pacheco "looks tremendous" at OTAs and has "put on some good weight," Charles Goldman of AtoZSports.com reports.
Pacheco missed Week 3 through Week 12 last season due to a broken fibula and looked like a shadow of his usual self when back in action, averaging just 3.4 YPC across Kansas City's five remaining regular season games and three playoff contests. When healthy Pacheco is an explosive, physical ball carrier capable of overrunning would-be tacklers, as demonstrated by his 4.9 YPC and 4.6 YPC averages in 2022 and 2023. An offseason to return to full form should securely position Pacheco atop the Chiefs' running back depth chart, especially in the wake of the team's decision to forego early-round additions to the position in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Chiefs re-signed Kareem Hunt and added Elijah Mitchell in free agency, both to one-year deals, and added Brashard Smith in the seventh-round of April's draft, but all three backs seem more likely to push for complementary snaps than an actual committee if Pacheco can indeed return to 100 percent strength.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Starts, but produces little Sunday
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Pacheco took three carries for seven yards and brought in one of two targets for five yards in Sunday's 40-22 loss to the Eagles.
Pacheco was the first back deployed out of Kansas City's backfield in what turned out to be a blowout loss for the Chiefs. Recent starter Kareem Hunt wound up matching Pacheco in total touches, so the starting honors meant little in the one-sided affair. That said, his veteran counterpart is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason while Pacheco still has one year left on his rookie contract. The Chiefs could bolster their backfield in the coming months, but Pacheco stands to be the favorite to start next year as the situation currently stands.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Expected to be OK for playoffs
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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Monday that Pacheco (ribs) will "be available playoff-wise" but will be held back in practice this week, Charles Goldman of AtoZSports.com reports.
Pacheco hurt his ribs in Wednesday's Christmas Day win over Pittsburgh, and it would be a major surprise if he suits up Week 18 versus Denver with Kansas City already having locked up the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC. The positive news on Pacheco is that he appears to be in no danger of missing any time in the postseason, and he'll have an extra week to recover from what Reid described as "tender" ribs with the Chiefs penciled in for a first-round bye. Kansas City may opt to rest starters beyond Pacheco on Sunday against the Broncos, and it wouldn't be surprising if the team gives Kareem Hunt the day off as well, which would put Samaje Perine and Carson Steele in positions to lead the backfield in the regular-season finale.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: RBs to Sit
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Things went from bad to worse for Pacheco in Week 16 against Houston when he was outplayed by Kareem Hunt, and now you can't trust Pacheco as even a flex in most leagues at Pittsburgh in Week 17. Since coming back from his broken leg in Week 13, Pacheco has scored 8.1 PPR points or less in all four outings. He has no touchdowns and a combined five catches for 25 yards on eight targets over that span. I'm hesitant to trust Hunt as well since the Chiefs will also use Samaje Perine on passing downs, but Hunt is the best bet as a flex if you need a Chiefs running back in this matchup on the road.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Severity of rib injury unknown
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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after Wednesday's 29-10 win at Pittsburgh that Pacheco "dinged his ribs," and the team will "see how bad they are" in the coming days, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports.
Pacheco couldn't get much going in the Christmas Day matchup, turning six carries into 18 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter. Fellow running backs Kareem Hunt (nine carries for 20 yards and one touchdown) and Samaje Perine (four touches for 29 total yards) also found the sledding tough against the Steelers defense, but both players could experience an uptick in usage if Pacheco has to sit out Week 18 at Denver. Considering the Chiefs locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC with Wednesday's victory, the team likely won't risk the health of one of their key contributors and instead focus on getting Pacheco healthy for the divisional round.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Exits Wednesday's game
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Pacheco was forced out of Wednesday's game against the Steelers due to a rib injury.
Prior to exiting the game, Pacheco carried six times for 18 yards. In Pacheco's absence, Kareem Hunt will likely operate as Kansas City's lead back, with Samaje Perine and Carson Steele on hand as depth options.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: RBs to Sit
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Pacheco has not made the impact Fantasy managers were hoping for when he returned from his broken leg in Week 13. In three games, Pacheco has scored 8.1 PPR points or less, and he has just four catches for 26 yards on six targets, along with no touchdowns. He continues to share playing time with Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine, and now Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is not 100 percent. This week, Pacheco is facing a Texans defense that is No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Pacheco should only be considered a flex option at best in the majority of leagues.
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Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco: Works as clear RB1 with 16 touches
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Pacheco rushed 14 times for 55 yards while catching two of four targets for six yards in Sunday's 19-17 win over the Chargers.
Pacheco returned to the clear-cut lead role in his second game back from a fractured fibula, as Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine combined for just eight touches. After posting 189 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in two games prior to the injury, Pacheco has 110 total yards without a score in two games since returning. Pacheco will look to pick up the pace in Week 15 against the Browns.
