Should I drop Isiah Pacheco? Week 5 Fantasy projection for Chiefs RB

Isiah Pacheco has been one of the key contributors for the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won each of the past two Super Bowls. He entered the 2024 NFL season as one of the top fantasy football running backs to target in drafts following his impressive performances.

However, the Chiefs star was placed on the injured reserve list following Week 2 when he fractured his fibula. His significant leg injury leaves his fantasy managers in a difficult spot. If he is able to return, he will be an asset for fantasy rosters, but the diagnosis makes him a drop candidate ahead of Week 5.

Should I drop Isiah Pacheco for Week 5 fantasy football?

Managers with an open slot injured reserve slot on their fantasy rosters would be wise to use it on Isiah Pacheco. His proven upside in one of the best offenses in the entire NFL makes him worth stashing for as long as the Chiefs insist that he may return prior to the conclusion of the 2024 fantasy football season.

The Chiefs are currently reporting that Pacheco is expected to miss six to eight weeks with his fractured fibula. While this may be a bit optimistic, it's still a good idea to stash him on the fantasy IR unless they change his status to a season-ending injury. If their projections are correct, he may return somewhere between Week 8 and Week 10.

The IR spot gives managers hope that Pacheco can return to their lineups for the later portion of the 2024 season, including in the fantasy playoffs. For leagues that don't offer IR slots on a roster, it's probably time to make the difficult decision to outright drop him.

This type of leg injury is brutal for any running back, so he may not return this season. Even if he does, it can be detrimental to occupy a bench slot for that long with an unavailable player.

Isiah Pacheco's fantasy outlook for the rest of 2024 season

If Isiah Pacheco can return from his leg injury and get back to full health, he will slot right back in as top 20 fantasy football running back for the remainder of his games. Despite the Chiefs' current depth at the position, he has been the featured back for each of the past two years and should continue in that role.

In his absence, their running back situation has become a bit complicated. The Chiefs appear to be using a committee approach, and Carson Steele was set as their starter, sharing carries with Samaje Perine and Kareem Hunt.

They are also expected to get Clyde Edwards-Helaire back from the NFI list, complicating their running backs' fantasy outlook even further. On their depth chart, as per ESPN, Hunt is now the RB1, Perine RB2 and Steele RB3.