Nov 6, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet against the Tennessee Titans during the second half of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

RB the Chiefs Should Consider for the Future

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs entered training camp with a major focus on the running back position. Although the offensive line was the team's biggest concern going into the offseason, the Chiefs may face a running back dilemma if their situation does not improve this season.

The current state of the Chiefs' running back room includes Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Elijah Mitchell, and Brashard Smith. Three of these four players are in the final year of their contracts with the franchise. And depending on their performance in 2025, three of four may be leaving the Chiefs.

Hunt and Mitchell signed one-year contracts this offseason, while Pacheco is on the final year of his rookie deal. Last season, the Chiefs' running game struggled, with Hunt shouldering most of the workload while Pacheco was sidelined due to injury. This season holds significant importance for each player in the running back room.

That being said, while it is entirely too early for the Chiefs to be thinking about the 2026 NFL Draft, it wouldn't hurt the franchise to at least look at some options they could get their hands on in a perfect world. One of those options could easily be running back Nicholas Singleton out of Penn State.

Singleton was mocked to go to the Chiefs in Pro Football Network's Jacob Infante's recent article.

"2024 was a challenging year for Isiah Pacheco, as he missed time due to injury and averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. As he enters a contract year, the Kansas City Chiefs could look to find an upgrade at running back if he doesn’t bounce back," Infante wrote.

"After rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2024, Nicholas Singleton is one of the top returning senior prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. He’s an explosive north-south runner with the speed and power to serve as a bowling ball up the middle."

The Chiefs do have high hopes for their recent seventh-round draft pick in Brashard Smith to hopefully become what Pacheco was in his first few seasons in Kansas City. Should things go south for Pacheco's longevity in Kansas City, Singleton could be the perfect pickup for the franchise.

As training camp continues and leads to the regular season, fans should keep a close eye on how the ground game is this season for Kansas City, especially when Pacheco has his hands on the football.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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