The Kansas City Chiefs earned a walk-off win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 to improve to 2-0 on the season, but the victory came at a cost. The Chiefs lost their starting running back Isiah Pacheco to a fractured fibula.
Pacheco’s injury occurred when the third-year running back bent back awkwardly while being tackled on a 1-yard run in the final minutes of the game. He left the field and exited the stadium on crutches and in a walking boot.
Pacheco is set to miss 6-8 weeks because of the injury, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That will sideline him at least until Kansas City’s Week 9 date with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 4, so the Chiefs will need to create a suitable running back rotation to complement Patrick Mahomes until then.
The Chiefs already are missing backup Clyde Edwards-Helaire, as he landed on the NFI (non-football illness) list before the season and will be out through at least Week 4. That leaves the Chiefs with just two healthy backs on their 53-man roster, and neither has been a three-down starter in the NFL to date.
That’s part of the reason that the Chiefs are set to visit with veteran running back Kareem Hunt on Tuesday. They need to consider adding depth to their thinning backfield.
Chiefs RB depth chart after Isiah Pacheco injury
The Chiefs have just two healthy running backs on their 53-man roster after Pacheco’s injury. They are:
