Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Mike Washington Jr.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Isiah Pacheco News
Monday, June 22, 8:20 AM
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco enters 2026 in a backup role behind star Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs. It's a new role for Pacheco, who spent most of his first four seasons in the NFL as the RB1 for the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Pacheco has struggled with both injuries and ineffectiveness over the past two seasons, missing 14 games and averaging just 3.8 yards per carry since the start of the 2024 campaign. In Detroit, Pacheco's touches will be limited as long as Gibbs remains healthy. Still, former Lions RB2 David Montgomery recorded 908 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns across 17 games in 2025. If Pacheco can assume a similar role as the thunder to Gibbs' lightning, he could be a productive player for fantasy managers in 2026. Pacheco's handcuff appeal is obvious as well, as he profiles as the clear winner in the Detroit backfield if Gibbs suffers an injury. In redraft leagues, Pacheco could be a late-round sleeper to target in drafts.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Mike Washington Jr. News
Tuesday, June 2, 12:28 PM
After recording 1,296 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns on 195 touches across 12 games at the University of Arkansas in 2025, running back Mike Washington Jr. was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Even after a relatively disappointing rookie season, 2025 number six overall pick Ashton Jeanty remains firmly atop the Raiders running back depth chart going into 2026. However, Washington Jr. could be the favorite for the RB2 role in a backfield that also contains Dylan Laube, Chris Collier, and Roman Hemby. Jeanty has the skill set of a three-down workhorse and logged 321 touches across 17 games in 2025, so there may not end up being much fantasy-relevant playing time behind him in Las Vegas. At the same time, Jeanty averaged a highly inefficient 3.7 yards per carry last season, and the Raiders could be looking to keep him fresher by spreading out their backfield touches a bit more. Washington Jr. could be a solid buy-low target for dynasty managers heading into 2026, given the opportunity available to him in Las Vegas.
Isiah Pacheco vs. Mike Washington Jr.
Still trying to decide between Pacheco and Washington Jr.? 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 0.0 points this week while Mike Washington Jr. is projected to score 0.0 points.
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