The Kansas City Chiefs will play the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil, in Week 1. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, specifically regarding RB Isiah Pacheco.
Is Isiah Pacheco Playing in Week 1?
Pacheco is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any setbacks, he will play.
We’ll continue to monitor the Chiefs’ injury report leading up to kickoff for any changes. You can also visit and bookmark our Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Isiah Pacheco in Week 1?
Generally, I avoid forcing the issue with running backs playing against the Los Angeles Chargers, but I think you can get away with it in this case.
On one hand, Los Angeles is coming off a season in which they had the league’s best red zone defense, allowing a touchdown on only 45% of trips. They were one of just four units with a rate under 50%, a significant margin below the NFL average of 57.6%. I believe that strength will be present again this season.
Despite that potential downside, the Kansas City Chiefs opened last season with Isiah Pacheco clearly identified as their bellcow running back. I am okay with blindly trusting that role in an offense led by Patrick Mahomes.
To be clear, Pacheco isn’t the must-play this week that I expect him to become as this season wears on. However, there’s definite flex value to chase here. He has an all-encompassing role on a potent offense to open the season, which is too good to ignore.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 1 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Isiah Pacheco’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 1
Pacheco is projected to score 14.2 points in PPR formats. This includes 71.7 rushing yards and 0.1 touchdowns. It also includes 2.5 receptions for 16.3 receiving yards and 0.1 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFSN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Week 1 Weather Impact: Chiefs at Chargers
The weather forecast for the Chiefs vs. Chargers matchup in São Paulo calls for cloudy conditions and a kickoff temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds are forecasted to blow southeast at 9 MPH with an 8% chance of rain. These are good conditions for fantasy football and will have minimal impact on the game.
