Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Blake Corum


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
6.3 31.2 0.2 0.9 6.4 0.0

Isiah Pacheco News

Isiah Pacheco Up in the Air for Week 1 With Back, Knee Injuries

Thursday, August 27, 8:37 AM

When asked about Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco's (back, knee) status for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints, head coach Dan Campbell said, "I can't give you anything definitive." Campbell said that Pacheco picked up a back injury in training camp, in addition to his MCL sprain, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. Right now, Pacheco's knee is not the concern. If the 27-year-old Pacheco is unavailable to play in the season opener in early September, Sione Vaki is likely to step up into the RB2 role in Detroit behind starter Jahmyr Gibbs. Pacheco ran for 1,765 yards and 12 touchdowns on 375 carries while adding 57 catches for 374 yards and two more TDs as a receiver in his first two years with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and 2023, but he combined for just 201 carries, 772 rushing yards, and two touchdowns in 20 games in the last two years while dealing with various injuries. When healthy, he's expected to be the backup in a change-of-pace role for Gibbs, but he is not selling himself as a handcuff target for fantasy managers with more injury issues before the start of the 2026 season. Right now, Pacheco is ranked as the RB54 at RotoBaller.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
8.0 45.2 0.4 0.7 4.7 0.0

Blake Corum News

Blake Corum Has Standalone Value at a Backup Price

Saturday, August 22, 9:18 AM

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum doesn't need a Kyren Williams injury to have a place in redraft lineups. Corum ran 145 times for 746 yards and six touchdowns last season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry while playing 30.5% of the offensive snaps. His role grew as the year went along, and that two-back setup worked well enough for Los Angeles to keep leaning on it. Corum has carried that momentum into camp, where the Rams have noted the extra speed and agility he worked on during the offseason. Williams is still the starter and remains the better receiving option after catching 36 passes to Corum's eight last year. That keeps Corum from having the same weekly floor. The rushing work is already there, though. RotoBaller's Aug. 22 breakout analysis lists Corum at an ADP of 101 and points to his standalone value in one of the league's best offenses. That's a good range for a back who can contribute without an injury and would see his value jump if Williams ever missed time.


Isiah Pacheco vs. Blake Corum

Still trying to decide between Pacheco and Corum? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Isiah Pacheco is projected to score 6.3 points this week while Blake Corum is projected to score 8.0 points.