Isiah Pacheco injury update: Latest on Chiefs RB for fantasy football Week 3

Isiah Pacheco entered the 2023 NFL season at the top of the Kansas City Chiefs' running back depth chart. This obviously made him an attractive target in fantasy football, presumably getting more touches in one of the most consistently high-powered offenses in recent years. Pair that with his solid rookie season last year, and his fantasy outlook is surely bright.

While Pacheco completed the first two games of the season without issue, he apparently injured his hamstring in the Chiefs' Week 2 victory. He opened their Week 3 practice sessions in the injury report, putting his status in jeopardy for their next game.

Isiah Pacheco injury update

Isiah Pacheco

Fantasy football managers were likely a bit surprised to see Pacheco's name on the Kansas City Chiefs initial injury report at their first practice session in preparation for Week 3. No injuries were reported for Pacheco during the course of their Week 2 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but nevertheless, he's with down with an apparent hamstring injury.

He reportedly joined Kadarius Toney, Richie James, Nick Bolton and Willie Gay as non-participants in the Chiefs' first Week 3 practice session. This means that Pacheco didn't take part in any of the team activities, a much more concerning development than being limited. He will likely need to increase his activity at some point before their game against the Chicago Bears if he wants to suit up.

What happened to Isiah Pacheco?

Pacheco injury

It's unclear when Pacheco suffered his injury against the Jacksoville Jaguars, after he logged a full game. It's possible that they Chiefs aren't sure either, and he simply felt a hamstring issue after the contest. This can often happen with NFL players, especially running backs.

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Pacheco began the 2023 NFL season with a disappointing fantasy football performance in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions, including just 23 rushing yards. He followed that up with great progress in Week 2, recording 70 rushing yards on nearly 6 yards per carry.

When will Isiah Pacheco return?

Pacheco update

Pacheco should be considered questionable to play against the Chicago Bears in Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season. While there has been no indication yet that he's in danger of missing any extended time with his hamstring injury, there's also no guarantee that he will be able to avoid missing games. Hamstring injuries are always a challenge to overcome, especially for explosive running backs.

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Before potentially replacing Pacheco in fantasy football lineups, make sure to consult the Start/Sit Optimizer first.

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Fantasy football managers with Pacheco on their rosters should begin making alternative plans just in case the Kansas City Chiefs running back is unable to play this week. Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire would likely see a boost in playing time if Pacheco is out in an extremely enticing matchup against the Bears' weak defense.