Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Isiah Pacheco

Sunday, October 26, 8:20 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey rushed for just 25 yards on eight carries during Sunday's Week 8 loss against the Houston Texans. He also caught three of his six targets for an additional 43 receiving yards. McCaffrey had his worst game of the season; his 9.8 points in PPR leagues marked the first time he scored fewer than 22 points in a single game this year. This was a rare dud for McCaffrey, and part of the blame can be attributed to the quarterback position, as Mac Jones (59.4% completion rate, 193 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) struggled to put together many quality drives in place of Brock Purdy (toe). McCaffrey is still one of the most talented running backs in recent NFL history, and he should have no trouble bouncing back against a struggling Giants squad in Week 9.

Wednesday, October 29, 1:48 PM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (knee) will not be on the practice field on Wednesday, according to head coach Andy Reid. Pacheco suffered an MCL sprain late in the Monday night win over the Washington Commanders in Week 8 and is considered week-to-week, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he's not practicing. The 26-year-old is unlikely to be active for a Week 9 showdown against the Buffalo Bills, but the good news is that KC will head into their bye in Week 10, so it's possible Pacheco will only end up missing one game. With Pacheco unlikely to be able to play this weekend, veteran Kareem Hunt should take over lead-back duties, with rookie Brashard Smith also having an expanded role and being in play as a flex option for fantasy managers. Pacheco has been a big disappointment in fantasy leagues in 2025, running for 329 yards and just one touchdown on 78 carries over his first eight games.