The Kansas City Chiefs received some great news two weeks ago as it was reported that third-year running back Isiah Pacheco was designated to return to practice ahead of their Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
Pacheco was placed on injured reserve after the Chiefs’ Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals because of a fractured fibula.
Kansas City didn’t waste any time trying to find a solid replacement for Pacheco, as they signed Kareem Hunt to the practice squad. The 25-year-old Pacheco has not played since returning to practice, but he’s on track to play on Black Friday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
On Tuesday, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy expressed his excitement about adding Pacheco back into the fold when speaking with reporters at practice.
“The best part about that is you just don’t have one where they’re getting worn down by the time you get to the fourth quarter,” Nagy said (h/t Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports).
The offensive coordinator also mentioned Pacheco’s workload will be going by the game instead of scripting it up ahead of time. With Hunt running the ball well this season (3.7 YPC), including back-to-back 60-plus yard performances, the Chiefs don’t have to overwork Pacheco.
The Chiefs can lean into a 1-2 punch at running back, mixing and matching both guys, keeping them fresh throughout the game. Hunt didn’t have much success earlier this season against the Raiders, rushing for 59 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
However, Pacheco has played well against the Raiders, recording 145 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 35 carries in four career games.
