Who Should I Start? Nyheim Hines or Isiah Pacheco

Monday, October 27, 7:01 PM

Los Angeles Chargers running back Nyheim Hines was elevated from the practice squad for the third time this season but made little impact in Thursday's 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Hines saw only seven snaps, four on offense and three on special teams, and finished with two carries for minus 2 yards. He was clearly behind Kimani Vidal and Jaret Patterson on the depth chart and has since returned to the practice squad. Now that Hines has reached the maximum number of elevations allowed from the practice squad, the Chargers must decide whether to sign him to the active roster to keep him available, as per NFL rules. With Hassan Haskins (hamstring) and Omarion Hampton (ankle) still sidelined, there's a possibility Hines gets signed. However, his limited usage on Thursday might suggest otherwise. Either way, he's off the fantasy radar heading into Week 9 against a struggling Tennessee Titans defense.

Thursday, February 5, 11:28 AM

After an injury-marred campaign in 2024, Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco entered 2025 in need of a bounce-back effort. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old struggled with inefficiency, recording 563 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 137 touches across 13 games played. Pacheco averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, his second-straight season under four yards per rush attempt after averaging 4.7 yards per carry over the first two years of his career. Pacheco spent most of the 2025 season splitting backfield work with veteran Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt, with Hunt dominating touches in short-yardage situations and around the goal line. Pacheco is now set to hit unrestricted free agency, so he's not guaranteed to be back in Kansas City. Based on his performance over the last two seasons, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where Pacheco finds himself in a committee backfield or even a straight RB2 role for the 2026 season. In dynasty formats, Pacheco's future fantasy value profiles as uncertain at best coming off his shaky 2025 campaign.