Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Jahmyr Gibbs

Saturday, October 4, 10:11 PM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco will face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night in Week 5. Pacheco rushed seven times for 35 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and caught two passes for 13 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over the Baltimore Ravens. Pacheco finished second in carries and rushing yards in Week 4, but he's locked into a backfield committee with Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith. Hunt finished last week's game with the most carries, and Smith's involvement in the offense has increased each week. Pacheco will have to contend with backfield competition and the Jaguars, who allow the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. The 26-year-old should continue handling RB2 duties this Monday night, but it will be interesting to see how the touches are divided. Pacheco is ranked RB35 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, putting him in the RB3/Flex conversation this week.

Monday, October 6, 1:20 AM

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 54 yards on 12 carries during Sunday's Week 5 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He also caught two passes for 33 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown reception. If not for finding the end zone, Gibbs would have had a relatively modest final line of 14 touches and 87 yards, so fantasy managers will appreciate that he was able to cross the goal line. It was interesting to see David Montgomery reclaim the lead-back role with his 18 carries, but that could have been a product of the game script. It also may have been part of the Lions' effort to honor the narrative of Montgomery returning to his birthplace of Cincinnati once the score got out of hand. Whatever the reason, managers should have no concerns about Gibbs going forward. He remains one of the league's most talented and versatile running backs, and it doesn't hurt that he plays for a high-powered offense within a 4-1 team. The 23-year-old remains a mid-range RB1 option in fantasy football for Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs.