Before training camp provides clarity, running back depth charts are full of uncertainty. That guesswork creates opportunity, but only if you can identify which situations are worth targeting and which to avoid.
This is the first installment in a series examining unsettled running back rooms. We'll delve into the summertime buzz, examining each player's skill set, role, path to touches, and range of outcomes to help you identify the values, busts, and deep sleepers before the market adjusts.
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.
Care About Isiah Pacheco
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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