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Isiah Pacheco Likely Headed to IR with Leg Fracture

By Matt Schauf | Updated on Mon, Sep 16 2024 3:17 PM UTC
Isiah Pacheco Headshot

Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco fractured his right fibula in Sunday's win over the Bengals, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports. It's not yet clear how long Pacheco is expected to miss. He's reportedly headed for further testing on Monday to determine whether there's any surrounding damage and his return timeline.

2024 Fantasy Football Impact

We'll watch for a more specific outlook, but it appears we should expect Pacheco to miss at least the next four weeks -- and probably more.

The Chiefs' Week 6 bye probably doesn't help, falling inside the four-game window from this week.

Pacheco left late in a game that saw him dominate backfield work. He handled 19 of the 26 RB carries. Carson Steele took the other seven, including K.C.'s final two plays before a game-winning FG.

Pacheco also drew 5 of 6 RB targets, leaving just 1 for Samaje Perine. Steele out-snapped Perine for the game, 14-9, and matched him at five pass routes.

Steele and Perine stand as the only two healthy RBs on the roster, with Clyde Edwards-Helaire two games into a four-game minimum stint on the non-football illness list. RBs Emani Bailey and Keaontay Ingram sit on the practice squad.

Waiver Wire Targets

Steele and Perine will both be worth looks on waivers this week. Don't expect either to take over as the primary back.

Perine might present the higher floor by virtue of his veteran status and likely receiving lead. But Steele carries more physical upside and the positive of his potential being unknown.

Perine has caught passes reliably for multiple teams but also proved to be a limited producer overall.

We'd lean toward Steele as the stronger add if you're prioritizing between them.

Of course, we'll also be watching to see if the Chiefs sign a free agent, such as Jerick McKinnon.

Matt Schauf Author Image
Matt Schauf, Editor
Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.
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