Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Jahmyr Gibbs

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.

Friday, February 27, 8:20 AM

Three seasons into his NFL career, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has established himself as one of the premier players at his position. Across 17 games in 2025, the 23-year-old recorded 1,839 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns on 320 touches. Gibbs is averaging nearly six yards per touch for his career and has recorded back-to-back seasons with at least 1,800 scrimmage yards and 18 scores. 2025 also brought about a couple of notable changes in Gibbs' profile. After starting just seven of his first 32 NFL games while sharing the Lions' backfield with veteran back David Montgomery, Gibbs started all 17 contests in 2025 and established himself as the team's clear RB1. Gibbs also saw the heaviest receiving workload of his career, setting single-season highs in targets (94), receptions (77), and receiving yards (616). In 2026, Gibbs appears likely to once again be relied upon as a heavily featured piece in the Lions' offense. Gibbs' ability to rack up fantasy production as both a rusher and receiver makes him an elite dynasty running back option heading into the prime years of his career.