The Kansas City Chiefs’ backfield presents one of fantasy football‘s most intriguing risk-reward scenarios heading into the 2025 season. With Isiah Pacheco entering a contract year and Kareem Hunt returning as veteran insurance, fantasy football managers must navigate between proven championship pedigree and lingering injury concerns.
Both running backs offer distinct paths to fantasy relevance, but their divergent outlooks reflect the complex dynamics of evaluating players in Andy Reid’s championship-caliber offense. Whether you’re seeking upside or stability in your fantasy football draft, understanding these two Chiefs runners is crucial for making informed roster decisions.
Isiah Pacheco Fantasy Outlook
Pacheco finds himself at a crossroads between value and upside. His 7th-round draft status was upheaved quickly after he came onto the scene as a rookie and led the backfield during the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowls.Â
However, he could not meet higher expectations with a larger role. He missed four games in 2023, which led to him totaling just under 1,000 rushing yards. He was then once again hurt in 2024, this time for two months, and when he returned, he wasn’t the same.
A healthy @isiah_pachecoRB is primed for his 1st 1,000 yard season in 2025. 😤
•2022• 830 yards• 4.9 ypc
•2023• 935 yards• 4.6 ypc•Top speed 19.35 via @NextGenStats #ChiefsKingdom
pic.twitter.com/lp4ADJbm6A— SleeperChiefs (@SleeperChiefsKC) May 7, 2025
His aggressive rushing style is fun to watch, but he hasn’t been able to hold up in a workhorse role thus far in his career. This has given the illusion that if healthy, he could hit some serious upside; however, his per-17 stats so far have been less than ideal: 205 attempts, 928 yards, and six touchdowns. He’s certainly not a bad player, but much of his hype has simply come from being a young player on the Chiefs’ offense.
That said, he’s getting one more chance in a contract year. The Chiefs added very little competition to the backfield, bringing back 30-year-old veteran Hunt and not adding a rookie until the 7th round.
That means this should be Pacheco’s backfield again, with plenty of scoring opportunities. He doesn’t need to be a 1,400-plus rusher to provide fantasy value; a strong season in the red zone with 10-plus touchdowns would be more than enough.Â
Things won’t get easier for the Rutgers product. The Chiefs’ reshuffling along the offensive line will likely leave it worse. I’d also expect the team to rely on the passing game a little more with the returns of WRs Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown, as well as the progression of Xavier Worthy. However, the lack of investment in running backs shows they still have faith in the 26-year-old, so his role isn’t going anywhere.
Pacheco is going to be a hard player to evaluate for value. If the stars align for him, he could be a steal for his price. His age, opportunity, and offense all suggest that a great season is quite possible for him. But he has yet to prove to be a reliable asset. That’s already baked into his price, but he’ll still be a risk even then.Â
— Mason LeBeau, Fantasy Football Analyst
Kareem Hunt Fantasy Outlook
Hunt made his second Chiefs debut in Week 4 last year, after Pacheco went down with a fractured fibula. He recorded four weekly RB1 finishes over a five-game span, proving immensely valuable for those who grabbed him off the waiver wire.
However, apart from an outlier seven-reception game in Week 10 against the Broncos’ stellar run defense, that fantasy production was heavily touchdown-dependent. Those eventually dried up, with Hunt tallying just two scores in his final nine regular-season games.
With Pacheco having had a full preseason to get up to speed, Hunt is, at best, an insurance policy. However, there is always a chance that Pacheco can’t regain his pre-injury form, which would give Hunt a chance of playing time, while the veteran is still a contender for goal-line work.
Seventh-round rookie Brashard Smith is the more explosive option beyond Pacheco and has enough receiving pedigree to rotate in if the Chiefs adopt a split backfield. Hunt is ahead of Smith in ADP, but he could quickly find himself behind his rookie teammate on the depth chart.
Hunt will likely find himself on the waiver wires while Pacheco is healthy to start the year. Miles Sanders, Kyle Monangai, and Woody Marks all have higher upside than Hunt, with aforementioned Smith above going even later.
— Cameron Sheath, Fantasy Football Analyst
