IsiahPacheco

News: 19 hours agoPacheco is slated to undergo surgery on his fractured right fibula in the middle of this week, which will require at least six weeks to recover from, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Spin: Pacheco's right leg was caught under a defender on the Chiefs' final possession during Sunday's win against the Bengals. He was seen in a walking boot afterward, and testing eventually revealed the diagnosis of a fracture and a prognosis of 6-to-8 weeks, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. In Pacheco's absence, the duo of Carson Steele and Samaje Perine likely will get the first chance to man Kansas City's field. As for other RB options, Clyde Edwards-Helaire must remain on the reserve/non-football illness list until at least Week 5, Keaontay Ingram and Emani Bailey reside on the practice squad, and Kareem Hunt is expected to visit the team.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: If Pacheco's rookie campaign was the one that put him on the fantasy map, his sophomore year was the one that earned him star status. His 15.3 fantasy points per game were nearly double his 2022 number (7.9), and he surged late in the season, scoring 20-plus points in three of his final four regular-season games before totaling 373 yards and three touchdowns on 93 touches during the Chiefs' Super Bowl championship run. Most importantly, Pacheco handled seven of the team's 10 goal line carries and 16 of 23 carries in goal-to-go situations, establishing himself the clear primary rusher. He's a fantasy RB1 and should settle in as a near-universal second-round pick.