IsiahPacheco

News: 1 day agoChiefs head coach Andy Reid said Monday that Pacheco (fibula) is closing in on a return to practice, Charles Goldman of AtoZSports.com reports. "They're all close. JuJu closer than the other two," Reid said in regards to when Pacheco (fibula), wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) and defensive end Charles Omenihu (knee) might resume practicing.

Spin: The Chiefs must designate Pacheco for return from injured reserve in order for him to practice for the first time since he fractured his right fibula back on Sept. 15. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the team is eyeing a return for Pacheco in late November, so getting on the practice field this week would mean his 21-day window extends through the end of the month. In the meantime, though, Kareem Hunt will continue to dominate touches out of Kansas City's backfield.

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.