Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Ty Chandler

Monday, February 12, 1:16 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ankle/toe) couldn't get much going in Super Bowl LVIII, but his team still topped the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 to come away with their third championship in the past four years. Pacheco carried the ball 18 times for 59 yards and added six receptions for 33 yards, but it was a rough evening all around for the 2022 seventh-rounder. Pacheco lost a fumble with the Chiefs in a goal-to-go to stall a potential scoring drive in the second quarter and nearly coughed it up again on a failed handoff to open the second half. It was a disappointing outcome in the box score, considering the Niners had gotten trampled on the ground during the postseason. The 24-year-old dealt with some tough injury luck down the stretch of the campaign, but Pacheco solidified himself as a fully capable workhorse in 2023 and will enter 2024 as an early-round fantasy pick with top-12 positional expectations in all likelihood.

Friday, June 7, 1:51 PM

The Athletic's Alec Lewis points out that Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler is turning heads at mandatory minicamp this week, and that fans should keep an eye on him heading into the 2024 season. "I see us as having a one-two punch at running back (alongside Aaron Jones)," defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said, "almost like they have in Detroit. I don't know if that's what's happening on the offensive side, but I know that we have two true No. 1 running backs. I'd buy stock in Ty Chandler if I could." Aaron Jones is the starter in Minnesota's backfield, but the 26-year-old Chandler should have an increased role off the bench after he started the last four games in 2023 and was very productive. Jones' history with injuries makes Chandler a very enticing handcuff pick in fantasy drafts this fall.