Chiefs’ Isiah Pacheco set to play Friday vs. Raiders

Ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 13 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, head coach Andy Reid received an encouraging update on starting running back Isiah Pacheco. The third-year running back has been sidelined with a fractured fibula since Week 2’s 26-25 win against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, Pacheco and Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu were full participants in Tuesday’s practice, signaling a potential comeback against the Raiders.

On Wednesday, coach Reid confirmed Pacheco and Omenihu would play, per ESPN’s Adam Teicher.

“Isiah Pacheco and Charles Omenihu will play for the Chiefs on Friday against the Raiders as long as they don’t have any setbacks, Andy Reid said,” Teicher reported.

Omenihu had been recovering from a torn ACL in last year’s AFC Championship Game. During his media availability, Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes revealed he’s expecting to see Pacheco immediately impact the field, per Sports Illustrated’s Joshua Brisco.

“Yeah, I mean, he’s going to be Pop,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, we’re going to have to work him back on the field, not try to overdo it. He’s going to have energy; he’s going to want to be on the football field. I think it’s good that we have a good room of running backs. We can kind of not make him go out there and take 30 carries or whatever it is — we can just kind of let him be who he is and make those big plays happen, and then bring him along as the season goes.”

Chiefs Andy Reid confirms Isiah Pacheco will play in Week 13