Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Bijan Robinson

Monday, February 12, 1:16 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ankle/toe) couldn't get much going in Super Bowl LVIII, but his team still topped the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 to come away with their third championship in the past four years. Pacheco carried the ball 18 times for 59 yards and added six receptions for 33 yards, but it was a rough evening all around for the 2022 seventh-rounder. Pacheco lost a fumble with the Chiefs in a goal-to-go to stall a potential scoring drive in the second quarter and nearly coughed it up again on a failed handoff to open the second half. It was a disappointing outcome in the box score, considering the Niners had gotten trampled on the ground during the postseason. The 24-year-old dealt with some tough injury luck down the stretch of the campaign, but Pacheco solidified himself as a fully capable workhorse in 2023 and will enter 2024 as an early-round fantasy pick with top-12 positional expectations in all likelihood.

Sunday, January 7, 9:22 PM

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson wasn't quite as dominant as many expected heading into his rookie campaign. Despite that, Robinson was still productive and posted a solid outing in the regular season finale against the New Orleans Saints. Robinson struggled on the ground with only 28 yards on 11 carries in the loss. However, he salvaged his fantasy value with seven receptions on eight targets for 103 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game. Robinson will finish his rookie season with 976 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 214 carries. He also added an additional 487 yards with 58 receptions and four touchdowns as a receiver. Robinson has the tools to be an elite back, but head coach Arthur Smith doesn't appear to know how to unlock them. It sounds like Smith will return next season, which makes Robinson a risky RB1 in fantasy leagues.