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The Chiefs have always seemed to hit on draft picks at an extraordinary rate. It doesn’t matter which side of the ball; every draft somehow ends with Kansas City selecting a future superstar. Trent McDuffie, Creed Humphrey, Rashee Rice, Trey Smith, and George Karlaftis are just a few examples of the Chiefs’ stellar draft selections over the last few years.
This is also what made it so easy for them to transition into a defensive juggernaut in 2023. Year after year of, consistently hitting on draft picks on both sides of the ball made it possible for defensive dominance to become their identity in 2023.
However, NFL fans cannot afford to forget the Chiefs’ offensive firepower. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes seems unstoppable, and the talent around him keeps getting better each and every offseason. One player who has contributed to this is running back Isiah Pacheco. No player encapsulates the Chiefs’ ability to find stars in the later rounds of the NFL Draft like the former Rutgers Scarlet Knight.
In 2023, Pacheco logged 935 rushing yards, on 4.6 yards per carry, as well as 244 receiving yards and nine total touchdowns. Pacheco’s efficiency was paramount to the team’s success, as he ranked eighth in yards per carry among running backs with 200+ rush attempts last season. He is a quick, efficient, and punishing runner, often causing fans and commentators to remark on the violence with which he runs.
Pacheco was also a big part of Kansas City’s Super Bowl run, handling 25+ touches in three of their four playoff games. He continues to be a large part of the Chiefs’ overall offensive blueprint heading into 2024.
Isiah Pacheco Full FILM BREAKDOWN ⬇️
Kansas City’s Backfield
One obvious point to make in favor of Pacheco’s fantasy prospects is that the Chiefs did not re-sign free agent running back Jerick McKinnon. The versatile runner has been the Chiefs’ secret weapon over the last three years, coming up huge in clutch moments in regular season contests and playoff runs alike. Since Isiah Pacheco entered the league in 2022, McKinnon has logged 93 rushing attempts and 103 targets while racking up over 1,000 scrimmage yards over the last two seasons.
With McKinnon out of the picture, the only experienced running back left who could take carries away from Pacheco is Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who is entering his fifth year in the NFL after re-signing with Kansas City on a one-year deal this offseason. However, he hasn’t tallied more than 600 rushing yards in a season since his rookie year back in 2020.
The truth of the matter is that Pacheco is the workhorse of this backfield, and barring some sort of signing or trade, he should assume an even larger role this coming season. The numbers also support this claim. After Week 3 versus Chicago, Edwards-Helaire averaged a snap percentage of 15.7% in games during which Isiah Pacheco was active.
Some running backs who averaged a snap percentage of 15% during the 2023 NFL season included Rashaad Penny, Damien Harris, Ty Johnson, Deuce Vaughn, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and Kevin Harris. Not a very fantasy-relevant list.
There is no battle for touches that Pacheco will have to fight through. The third-year running back is now in total control of the Chiefs’ backfield. His talent and efficiency will be on full display in his third season in Kansas City.
Draft Season
From a fantasy football perspective, Pacheco was an overwhelmingly safe bet. Through his 14 active games in 2023, he scored under eight points just twice, his lowest scoring output being 6.6. He was a rewarding investment for fantasy managers in 2023, and with his impressive efficiency and talented offensive line, Pacheco’s success should continue into the 2024 NFL season.
Pacheco enters draft season with an ADP of RB10 on Underdog Fantasy. Being one of the safest options in fantasy football last season, Pacheco is worth this price. If you want a consistent scorer with even less competition heading into this coming season, Pacheco is a great option.
Focusing on draft strategy, taking Kansas City’s lead running back in the late second or early third round could prove helpful to fantasy managers who decide to take a chance on some of the riskier options of the first few rounds, such as Kyren Williams, Saquon Barkley, Davante Adams, De’Von Achane, or Chris Olave.
There should be little doubt of the third-year running back’s potential to break the 1,000 rushing yard threshold. Isiah Pacheco’s efficiency, usage, and lack of competition are evidence enough. This, combined with his ability in the passing game, will make him a PPR-scoring monster and a fantasy football RB1.
Other Factors
The Chiefs’ personnel up front and in offensive skill positions is a major reason for their success. Kansas City returns one of the best offensive lines in the entire league, especially on the interior, with Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, and Joe Thuney. High-level starters across the entire unit are what allow Kansas City to have such offensive dominance.
The Chiefs also used the 28th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on former Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. The speedster broke the NFL Combine 40-yard dash record with a blazing time of 4.21 seconds. Rashee Rice will prove to be one of Kansas City’s offensive centerpieces after recording over 900 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in an impressive rookie season. Additionally, the team signed former Cardinals wideout Marquise Brown to a one-year, $7 million contract in March.
Future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce is also returning for his 12th NFL season. This group of pass-catchers can stretch the field formidably, which could lead to fewer stacked boxes for Pacheco to run through. There are a lot of question marks on Kansas City’s offense in 2024, but Isiah Pacheco is not one of them.
One gripe fantasy managers may choose to have with Pacheco’s fantasy outlook is that the Chiefs only averaged 25.6 rush attempts per game, only good for 22nd in the NFL in 2023. However, a chiefly (pun intended) important counterpoint is that several teams with fantasy-relevant running backs averaged fewer attempts per game than Kansas City. Breece Hall is consistently one of the first running backs off the board in fantasy drafts, but the Jets only averaged 22.8 rush attempts per game.
Other players, such as Joe Mixon, Kenneth Walker III, and Brian Robinson Jr., put together good fantasy football seasons on teams that averaged fewer rush attempts per game than the Chiefs. The Tennessee Titans, who still had Derrick Henry in their backfield last season, only averaged 26.1 rush attempts per game. Henry still logged 1167 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.
Verdict
In conclusion, fantasy managers can have confidence in Isiah Pacheco’s workload and talent heading into the 2024 NFL season. He is a key contributor to one of the most explosive offenses in the league and is a huge part of head coach Andy Reid’s gameplan. The 251st pick of the 2022 NFL Draft has a very high floor and should be considered a no-brainer fantasy selection for managers who are looking for steady and stable production. Don’t hesitate to draft Isiah Pacheco at his current ADP.
