Nailing unsettled running back rooms is crucial in all fantasy formats. They are often the best source of unexpected value and where the costliest draft mistakes happen.
RELATED: Dig into the Dallas backfield here.
Redraft managers: Use this series to get familiar with the league’s most ambiguous depth charts as training camps kick off so you will know exactly what developments to watch for in the weeks before draft day. Just remember, these situations can flip fast once the pads go on.
Best Ball players: You do not have the luxury to wait for camps to bring clarity. The actionable insight you need to navigate the league's trickiest backfields TODAY is right here.
First up is the Kansas City Chiefs, who might be hiding a discount bellcow.
What's at Stake
Plenty.
The Chiefs have not been an offensive juggernaut for two straight seasons, but they still averaged 23 points and one rushing touchdown per game last year. From Weeks 5-9, injuries pushed a well-past-his-prime Kareem Hunt into the starting role, yet he scored five touchdowns and ranked as the RB8 over that span.
No single back is likely to dominate snaps the way Hunt did when Kansas City had no alternatives, but this backfield should still be on your radar. If healthier wide receivers and running backs restore some explosiveness, we could again see two top-30 fantasy backs emerge, just as Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon did in 2022. According to our ADP data, no Chiefs running back is currently being drafted inside the top-25.
Sorting the Kansas City Chiefs Running Backs
Let's examine the players in this backfield and determine who we should focus on and who we can safely overlook.
Isiah Pacheco is a Steeply Discounted Workhorse
2024 was shaping up to be a breakout season for Pacheco, but a fractured fibula stopped him dead in his tracks before Week 2 was over. Prior to the injury, he had played roughly 80% of Kansas City's offensive snaps and totaled 189 yards from scrimmage, including seven catches for 54 yards (which stood out with receiving specialist McKinnon no longer on the roster).
To his credit, Pacheco made it back from the injury in Week 13. Unfortunately, he was no longer able to run like he bites people. In the eight games he played after returning (playoffs included), Pacheco averaged 3.4 yards per rush and failed to reach 3.0 yards in half of those contests.
The lack of post-injury explosiveness shouldn't have taken anyone by surprise. Tony Pollard fractured his fibula in the 2022 playoffs, had an entire offseason to recover, and still went on to have the least efficient season of his career in 2023. Pollard later said he didn't feel fully back until midseason.
As is often the case with injured players this time of year, the Chiefs are optimistic about Pacheco's health. He added muscle this offseason, aiming to regain weight lost during his midseason rehab push. According to Andy Reid, Pacheco looked “tremendous” during June OTAs.
Extra weight rarely makes a difference for running backs, but playing too light could help explain Pacheco's post-injury struggles. He simply likes running into defenders. In 2023, Pacheco averaged 3.5 yards after contact, which was the second-highest among players with 200 or more carries.
If he's healthy, he's the clear RB1. And based on what we've heard so far, there's real reason to believe he's trending that way.
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