In the final minutes of Monday’s 28-7 win over the Commanders, Isiah Pacheco ($5,200) unfortunately exited with a knee injury and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reporting Tuesday that the back is considered week-to-week with an MCL sprain.
Given this news and that the Chiefs are on bye next week, Pacheco missing this Sunday’s matchup vs. the Bills is very likely. If the back is out as expected, Kareem Hunt ($4,700) will be the next man up in the backfield and he should be Kansas City’s main rusher, while Brashard Smith ($4,200) operates as Hunt’s main backup.
Last season, Hunt played eight games with Pacheco sidelined and in those contests, Hunt was a great fantasy option as the Chiefs’ clear No. 1 back, producing 15.5 FPTS per game. In these tilts, Hunt saw a huge role, logging 60% of the snaps and averaging 19.4 carries per game, which was 83% of the running back carries for Kansas City. The veteran saw a whopping 35 red-zone carries during this span and as a receiver, Hunt saw a target on 14% of his routes while running a route on 41% of his team’s dropbacks.
Even with Pacheco healthy this season, Hunt has handled 37.6% of the running back carries for the Chiefs and he has out-carried Pacheco 13-10 in the red zone. Andy Reid and the Chiefs’ coaching staff fully trust Hunt and if Pacheco is out this Sunday vs. the Bills, Hunt will be in line for 15-20 touches in this compelling matchup. This season, Buffalo is giving up the second-most yards per rush (5.5) and the second-most rushing touchdowns to running backs (9).
Plus, Kansas City is a 2.5-point favorite and this potential AFC Championship preview carries a massive 52.5-point total on DraftKings Sportsbook, which is the largest total of Week 9. If Pacheco misses this contest, Hunt will bring outstanding upside and the 30-year-old will be an elite value play for this Sunday’s 11-game main slate.
