The Kansas City Chiefs won the battle but may have lost the war. The Chiefs hung on for dear life to beat their arch rival the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, but they did not come out of the game unscathed, losing one of their top offensive weapons in running back Isiah Pacheco, who left Arrowhead Stadium in a walking boot after sustaining a lower leg injury. Pacheco is expected to miss at least four games as CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirms he is heading to injured reserve.
Pacheco would be eligible to return in Week 8 at the earliest, with the fear that he could be on the shelf longer, Jones reports. He is scheduled to undergo more extensive testing for an injured fibula, according to ESPN. Based on tests, he fractured his fibula, according to NFL Media.
The usual recovery timeline for a fractured fibula is anywhere between four to eight weeks, depending on the seriousness, so the Chiefs will likely be without Pacheco and will have to use the next-man-up mentality for at least the next month, if not longer.
Embed from Getty ImagesPacheco, 25 years old, was the Chiefs’ leading rusher in the 26-25 win against the Bengals with 19 carries for 90 yards, and he contributed five receptions for 21 yards. He was injured late in the fourth quarter, and now the Chiefs will have to get ready to play without him.
The two-time Super Bowl champion running back has been a key cog of Kansas City’s offense since arriving on the scene as a seventh-round draft pick in 2022 out of Rutgers University, eclipsing 1,100 yards from scrimmage in 2023. Widely regarded as one of the most physical and bruising ball carriers in the game, he is likely to be replaced by veteran journeyman Samaje Perine, who recently joined the team in August; and undrafted rookie Carson Steele, who also took snaps at the fullback position this preseason.
The next item of business is how “Big Red” Andy Reid fills the void. As stated previously, the club signed Samaje Perine, who has played mostly a pass-catching role. Undrafted rookie Carson Steele took the late between-the-tackles runs on Sunday and could be featured more often in a more prominent early down role. The Chiefs could also bring back Jerick McKinnon, a free agent, to help fill the gaping hole. None of the options will bring the same juice and creativity that Pacheco adds to the Patrick Mahomes-led offense.
The Chiefs also have former first-round draft pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire on the roster, but he is sidelined through at least Week 4 while on the non-football illness (NFI) list with post-traumatic stress disorder.
