The Kansas City Chiefs had a clear focus on rebuilding their offensive line this offseason after a dreadful performance in Super Bowl 59. By all accounts, they hit the jackpot with their first-round pick, Josh Simmons. Now, they can focus on other areas of the roster, with the running back position a real concern.
Isiah Pacheco seemed to be their guy, but he hasn’t looked the same since injuries caused him to miss most of the 2024 season. Unless he can return to his pre-injury self, the Chiefs might start looking elsewhere for a replacement. For one analyst, the easiest place to find that replacement is the 2026 NFL Draft, which features a legitimate difference-maker.
Could the Kansas City Chiefs Finally End Their Running Back Woes?
Since Patrick Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback, Kansas City has struggled to find a consistent threat on the ground to pair with him. But it hasn’t been for a lack of trying, as the Chiefs have spent multiple draft picks to find their man.
Of course, that weakness hasn’t mattered in the win column with five trips and three victories in the Super Bowl since 2020. In Pacheco, it seemed like the organization had found the proverbial diamond in the rough.
A seventh-round pick, the bruising runner immediately became a valuable contributor for the Chiefs in his rookie season, slowly cementing himself as the starter. He followed that up with an even better sophomore campaign, as Kansas City lifted the Vic Lombardi each year.
However, a fractured fibula kept him out for more than 10 weeks in the regular season. Post return, his production and explosiveness weren’t the same. As a result, Jacob Infante of PFSN, in his latest mock draft for 2026, believes the Chiefs need to target Pacheco’s replacement.
The name he has in mind? Penn State superstar, Nicholas Singleton. In three years, the superstar running back has tallied close to 3,000 yards and 32 touchdowns on the ground for the Nittany Lions.
But he’s also shown some dual-threat capabilities, by adding over 750 yards and eight touchdowns through the air.
PENN STATE BREAKS THE GAME OPEN 😳
Nicholas Singleton takes it 58 yards to the house 🏠 pic.twitter.com/bE4KuTM77T
— ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2025
“After rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2024, Nicholas Singleton is one of the top returning senior prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. He’s an explosive north-south runner with the speed and power to serve as a bowling ball up the middle.”
If Pacheco can return to his previous form, the Chiefs might focus on other areas of the roster that need tweaking. However, entering a contract year, it is unlikely that Kansas City will give him a chance beyond this year.
If he doesn’t prove up for the task, moving on to a potential game-changer like Singleton might be the most brilliant idea for a Chiefs offense that ranked outside the top-10 last year on PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
