Isiah Pacheco: knee keeps Chiefs back out Wednesday
THE FACT. Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco did not practice Wednesday with a knee injury and is expected to miss Sunday's game against Buffalo, according to Fox Sports, which reported he sprained a knee ligament late in Monday night's win over Washington. NFL.com also listed him as a non-participant Wednesday. Andy Reid said Pacheco is moving around and had wanted to go back in Monday night.
THE VERDICT. Redraft: start Kareem Hunt and do not overthink it. Fox Sports reports Hunt is in line for more carries with Brashard Smith and Elijah Mitchell behind him, and a Kansas City back carrying the load against Buffalo is a weekly RB2 with real touchdown equity. DFS: Hunt is a core cash-game play until his salary catches up. Pacheco managers should find a bench stash elsewhere rather than burning a roster spot on a Wednesday DNP with a Sunday deadline. Dynasty: another dent in a profile that keeps getting replaced.
Respectfully, "don't overthink it" is doing a lot of work here. Hunt went 611 yards on 163 carries last year, 3.7 a pop, and he hasn't averaged 4.0 since 2021. His value was always volume and goal-line work, not yards, and Buffalo has been stingy per carry rather than generous. In a season league sure, touches are touches, start him as an RB2. But a core cash play is a guy you trust for a floor, and Hunt's floor is 45 yards and a prayer near the pylon. I'd rather pay for Mahomes' passing game.