Which Chiefs RB should fantasy football managers target with Isiah Pacheco out

Fantasy football managers already had enough on their plates trying to overcome Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco's fractured fibula and six-to-eight-week absence. Many have wondered how the back-to-back Super Bowl champions would fill the suddenly significant void in their backfield. Somehow, recent intel from NFL insider Jordan Schultz further complicated the matter.

Per Schultz, the Chiefs are "expected to sign" veteran back Kareem Hunt following the unfortunate injury news concerning Pacheco.

Hunt's anticipated arrival comes a day after Chiefs head coach Andy Reid expressed Kansas City's plans to move forward with their rushers behind Pacheco. Alas, that was quickly established as a facade based on their latest actions, and targeting an obvious replacement made too much sense.

With Hunt in the picture, how does Kansas City's running back room shake out sans Pacheco? Prevailing despite losing a bonafide RB1 like the latter in fantasy is challenging enough. Now, managers must correctly predict which of his backups will shoulder the load while he's out.

Which Chiefs RB should fantasy football managers target with Isiah Pacheco out

Between Hunt, undrafted rookie Carson Steele and veteran journeyman Samaje Perine, the correct answer to a Pacheco alternative may be none of the above. But of course, many (if not most) managers don't have better options, especially given the slew of injuries leaguewide in Week 2.

With that in mind, Hunt has the best shot at sustainable fantasy relevance of the trio, so managers should prioritize him of the bunch.

As Schultz expressed in his report, Hunt landing with the Chiefs marks a reunion. The 29-year-old spent his first two seasons as a pro in Kansas City, earning Pro Bowl honors as a rookie in 2017. So, there's a sense of familiarity here, which should expedite the transition process.

It's only a matter of time before Hunt is up to speed with Kansas City's playbook. Meanwhile, Perine joined the Chiefs less than a month ago, so it's not like he has the team's system down pat.

Moreover, Perine is primarily a pass-catching/third-down specialist, while Steele is a between-the-tackles, goal-line runner. Conversely, Hunt offers a little bit of everything -- his versatility could separate him from the rest of the pack.

Regardless, none of Hunt, Steele or Perine will be a one-for-one substitute for Pacheco. The latter 2022 seventh-rounder was a legitimate three-down workhorse. Filling his shoes is undoubtedly going to be a collaborative effort. He was firmly entrenched atop the depth chart of a high-powered Chiefs offense, demonstrated by an insane 90 percent opportunity share through two games.

However, if we had to choose, Hunt is the most reasonable solution.