The return of Kareem Hunt disrupts Carson Steele's plans to replace Pacheco, but the real bargain buy is Travis Kelce

When the Chiefs lost confidence in their starting running back in a mid-October game against Buffalo in 2022, Isiah Pacheco stepped in as a backup. Although he was on the job for about a full year before he was “the guy,” he eventually became “the guy”!

Fast forward to 2024: The Chiefs need a new starting running back after Pacheco broke his fibula in his team's win over the Bengals in Week 2.

He'll be placed on the injured list and miss at least the next four games, but the Chiefs have a bye in Week 6, so NFL rules don't allow him to return until Week 8. And because it's a broken bone, a more reasonable timeframe for his return would be somewhere between six and eight weeks.

Fantasy managers should expect to be without Pacheco until Week 9 – and that’s still optimistic.

Pacheco is worth adding to the roster, as you can expect him to come back fresh and ready to make a big splash in time for the playoffs in your fantasy leagues. Trading him is also an option, though any team that is currently 2-0 won't want to give up much to get Pacheco and wait for his return. The right time to trade might be after the Week 6 bye, as playoff-focused teams would consider giving up more in trade by then (plus, your team might be in good shape and therefore not need to trade Pacheco).

But it will be interesting to see how he is replaced in Kansas City, and maybe it won't be the running backs you'll be paying attention to.

Pickup for Pacheco

Kansas City has some interesting options to replace Pacheco, but it's hard to agree on a single running back who will get his workload right away. Expect a multi-person approach.

Here are the most important names you should know:

Kareem Hunt (available in over 90% of CBS leagues): You may remember Hunt as one of the team's top draft picks in 2017, but in 2018 he was released by the club due to off-field issues. The Chiefs are willing to put his sordid past behind them in exchange for a guy who not only knows their system but has been successful in it. But that was a long time ago – last year Hunt was one of the league's most inefficient runners. Of 49 running backs with at least 100 carries, Hunt was 47th in yards per run (3.0), 49th in yards after contact per run, 47th in five-yard run rate, 48th in explosive run rate and 49th in tackle avoided rate.

But there were two things the 29-year-old did very well: scoring touchdowns in short yardage — he ran for nine with the Browns last season, seven of them from the four-yard line or closer — and pass protection, which is pretty important considering who the quarterback is in Kansas City. Hunt could immediately become the Chiefs' most reliable man on third downs and at the goal line, if not in other general rushing situations, because of his experience.

Carson Steele (available in 90% of CBS leagues): The undrafted rookie will be the most popular waiver claim of the bunch, but I'm not sure he'll be the best. In two games, he has nine carries for 27 yards, a 3.0 average, no touchdowns and one fumble. Only one of the efficiency metrics I use to evaluate running backs works in his favor: 2.56 yards after contact per carry, a number that's even more impressive considering he doesn't have a run of 9 yards or more. Steele has yet to catch a pass for the Chiefs, but he showed decent passing traits in college (58 passes caught in three years at Ball State and UCLA).

The addition of Hunt is a sign that the coaching staff is not set on Steele as the lead back, but if there is anyone who can beat Hunt in terms of playing time week in and week out, it is Steele.

Samaje Perine (available in 80% of CBS leagues): Kansas City signed Perine after he was released by the Broncos. In two games, he played 17 snaps and had two catches on three targets and zero carries. With the Bengals in 2022, Perine filled in as the team's lead back in two games and scored over 18 PPR points in each game. His ability as a receiver puts him ahead of Steele and possibly Hunt as a short-term solution for the Chiefs, especially if Patrick Mahomes will have more work to do.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (available in 85% of CBS leagues): The Chiefs' former first-round pick is currently on the non-football injured list and will miss at least the next two games. Coach Andy Reid said Monday he is “part of the equation” to replace Pacheco, suggesting Edwards-Helaire will play again this year. Chiefs sportscaster Nick Jacobs pointed out that Pacheco's injury looked very similar to the injury Edwards-Helaire suffered in his rookie year, and Edwards-Helaire hasn't been the same since.

Advancement in the imagination

Kansas City's schedule for the next six weeks is not easy: at the Falcons, at the Chargers, against the Saints, then a bye, then at the 49ers and at the Raiders before Week 9 against Tampa Bay. Any expectation of any The Chiefs' running back, who dominates most of these defenses, should be significantly downgraded.

• Hunt would be my preferred add-off waiver. Yes, he clouds the whole situation, but I suspect coaches would trust him with valuable roles that would benefit fantasy managers sometimeAnd since he would be part of a three-person group, his FAB costs should not exceed 15% of the original budget.
• Steele would be my next preferred option with a 10% discounted FAB price. He could be the guy who has the most touches week to week, but few of them in valuable situations.
• Perine would be my least favorite addition at 5% FAB. He barely played the first two games and Hunt is a same-age version of him.
• I would not spend any FAB Capital for Edwards-Helaire. I could see adding him with a late waiver claim if I could hide him on an IR spot for two weeks and then see what happens.

Back to old friends

The real winner here may be Mahomes, and by extension Travis Kelce. If the Chiefs can't run, they'll have to find ways to move the chains creatively. A large number of short throws to Kelce could be on the agenda again, and Mahomes is always a potential yardage gainer on the ground.

It's unlikely the Chiefs will rely on running backs without Pacheco, at least not until Hunt or Steele or someone else gets that kind of workload. It also took Pacheco over a year to fully earn that role. All roads lead back to Mahomes.

This may be the only time in the last decade that we can call Kelce a candidate for a cheap buy. I'd make him a trade offer in a heartbeat, and the same goes for Mahomes if the manager in your league is disappointed in him after his first two games.