Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Quinshon Judkins

Wednesday, October 22, 11:37 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has had an underwhelming season so far in 2025, recording 314 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 77 total touches through his first seven games. However, there may be reason to believe that the 26-year-old is trending upwards. Pacheco has at least 12 carries and 51 rushing yards in each of his last two games. Additionally, the Chiefs' offense is getting healthier and has averaged 31.5 points per game over the last four weeks, which means Pacheco should see more red zone opportunities going forward. Kansas City will likely continue to split backfield work between Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and Brashard Smith, which limits Pacheco's upside. Still, Pacheco has been stealing early-down work away from Hunt in recent weeks and has a higher upside in both real life and fantasy. Pacheco could be a good buy-low candidate for fantasy managers and profiles as a low-end RB2 heading into a Week 8 matchup against the Washington Commanders.

Sunday, October 19, 5:40 PM

Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins carried the ball 25 times for 84 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns during Sunday's Week 7 win over the Miami Dolphins. He was not targeted in the passing game. Judkins' yardage efficiency (3.4 YPC) was nothing special, but that's a moot point when you look at his touchdown efficiency. The rookie had a great opportunity to thrive this week against a Dolphins defense that has struggled to defend the run all year. Miami's offensive woes also helped Judkins, giving the ball back to Cleveland's offense quite often. Judkins certainly capitalized on his opportunities and now has double-digit fantasy points (PPR) in five of his six games. He should be viewed as a low-end RB1 heading into Week 8 against the New England Patriots.