Why Fantasy Must Buy-Low Into This Chiefs' Prospect

To prepare for the new approach, the Chiefs have built an offense with plenty of explosive potential. With Mahomes leading the way and weapons like Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown at his disposal, they should be a much more potent attack in the 2025 NFL season, especially if this player breaks out the way fantasy experts are predicting.

Pacheco continues to garner fantasy hype

The legend of Isiah Pacheco has steadily grown throughout training camp and preseason. After suffering a fractured fibula last year, he looked a shell of himself in his last few games for the Kansas City Chiefs upon his return. However, he looked even faster and stronger than he was before the injury this summer.

KC has elected to carry four ball-carriers on its 53-man roster — Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Elijah Mitchell, and Brashard Smith — but Pacheco has the skill set necessary to be a true three-down workhorse for this offense if he can remain healthy. ESPN's Field Yates believes that he'd be a steal at an 80.8 average draft position:

"Pacheco's ADP is suggestive of a former starter whose team added clear and obvious competition. I'd argue the Chiefs have better backfield depth this season than last (they drafted Brashard Smith in Round 7 and signed Elijah Mitchell), but Pacheco still has a clear path to an extensive role. In two games to begin last season before getting hurt (he wasn't the same player upon returning), Pacheco handled 40 total opportunities, including seven catches. He's just 26 years old, with prime years left ahead of him, and can do damage as the Chiefs' primary ball carrier, plus work in the passing game (he had 44 catches in 2023)."

He seems to be going higher on other platforms, as he has an overall ADP of 60, 23rd among running backs, per FantasyPros. Fantasy players are starting to catch on to Pacheco's immense potential this season, but it might not be too late to get him at a great value in the final weeks before 2025 NFL kickoff.