Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Chase Brown

BENCH

Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
11.0 38.5 0.4 2.4 15.5 0.1

Isiah Pacheco News

Isiah Pacheco Unlikely to Return to Chiefs?

Friday, February 20, 10:44 AM

The Athletic's Jesse Newell writes that Kansas City Chiefs impending free-agent running back Isiah Pacheco is "likely to sign elsewhere" in free agency this offseason. Pacheco did not show his pre-injury burst out of the backfield in 2025, averaging 3.9 yards per carry while rushing for 462 yards and just one touchdown on 118 rushing attempts in 13 games played. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL scouting combine, but he hasn't shown that same speed after a productive first two seasons in the NFL. In addition to his declining speed, he hasn't established himself as a receiving threat out of the backfield, with his 44-catch season in 2023 looking like an outlier. On top of injuries the last two seasons, Pacheco's fantasy stock is down as he enters free agency. Pacheco's 2026 fantasy value will depend on where he's playing, but most likely, he'll be involved in some sort of timeshare after struggling the last two seasons.

START

Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
16.1 53.4 0.7 3.2 24.0 0.2

Chase Brown News

Is Chase Brown Emerging as a High-end Dynasty Asset?

Tuesday, February 24, 10:56 AM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown still has one year left on his rookie contract and is hopeful to sign an extension that his representation has been working on since at least late January. Brown stands unchallenged atop the Bengals' running back depth chart, playing in all 17 games in the 2025 season with an average rush share of 70%. While his rushing touches are important, Brown sets himself apart from his peers and is a valuable dynasty asset because of his involvement in Cincinnati's passing game. With quarterback Joe Burrow at the helm from Weeks 13-17, Brown hauled in 25 of his 26 targets and scored three touchdowns through the air. Brown is a young, proven back and, despite some low-scoring weeks early in the 2025 season, earned fantasy managers over 15 PPR points in every game from Weeks 8 through 18. His consistency and potential for RB1 weeks make him a valuable dynasty piece to target in trades or during start-up drafts.

Isiah Pacheco vs. Chase Brown

Still trying to decide between Pacheco and Brown? 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 11.0 points this week while Chase Brown is projected to score 16.1 points.