The Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday dropped the team back to .500 and heightened concerns around several position groups. One of the most unsettled areas is the backfield, where usage patterns, recent signings, and contract timelines have combined to raise new questions about the direction of the run game.
With the team having bypassed opportunities to add outside help at the trade deadline, the attention has turned to how the Chiefs are managing their in-house options, and what that might signal about the months ahead.
Isiah Pacheco’s Future in Question After Chiefs Predicted To Select New Running Back in NFL Draft
Running back Isiah Pacheco returned from a three-game absence due to a knee injury in Week 13, but his involvement was limited. Pacheco recorded only three carries for 16 yards and two receptions for 17 yards in his first game back. The Chiefs leaned primarily on Kareem Hunt, who recorded 14 attempts for 58 yards.
Though Hunt averaged 4.1 yards per attempt against the Dallas Cowboys, his workload relative to Pacheco’s has prompted questions about how the Chiefs plan to divide responsibilities in the short term, and whether Pacheco’s role is diminishing before the final stretch of the season. His PFSN RB Impact metric has assigned him a 71.5 score with a C- grade.
Additional roster movement has added to the questions. Kansas City signed former Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce to the practice squad recently, adding another brick of competition at a time when the rotation lacks clarity. Rookie Brashard Smith did not receive a touch on Thursday. The combined picture suggests that the staff is keeping its options open while testing different combinations late in the year.
Pacheco, who has totaled 2,420 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns across four seasons, is to become a free agent at the end of the season. Given this, the organization could be preparing to evaluate alternatives in the offseason.
A recent projection from PFSN underlines that possibility. It predicted that Kansas City would select Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson with the 49th pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Johnson has become one of the most productive backs in college football this season, recording 1,234 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns through 11 games, along with 348 receiving yards and three receiving scores on 44 catches. Over his four-year career at Nebraska, he has posted 19 total touchdowns.
Johnson’s profile, as a consistent producer with agility, field awareness, and the ability to generate yards in space, has led evaluators to identify him as a strong potential fit for an offense built on versatility.
