Who Should I Start? Samaje Perine or Isiah Pacheco

Thursday, September 5, 12:14 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Samaje Perine is expected to fill the void left behind by Jerick McKinnon's departure, head coach Andy Reid said. Specifically, this means that Perine will primarily get involved as a pass-catcher and blocker. Reid also noted that Perine is an intelligent player who runs well. Last year, the veteran running back tallied 238 rushing yards, 455 receiving yards, and one touchdown. Given that he is a trusted pass-catcher in one of the NFL's best offenses, Perine could sneak into the RB3/FLEX tier in PPR leagues this year. However, he can be left on the bench in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Friday, September 6, 4:18 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco had 45 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in the 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. The Baltimore defense came to play as they held Pacheco to just 3.0 yards per carry in this contest. Pacheco's longest run of the game gained only five yards, but he still managed to find the endzone on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Despite his low rushing yardage in this one, the Chiefs lead running back still handled 15 of the 20 total carries for the team. Pacheco also corralled two of his three targets for 33 receiving yards in this contest. Pacheco is undoubtedly the lead back on this high-powered Kansas City offense and should be more productive in this role moving forward. The Chiefs take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. The Bengals gave up the seventh-most rushing yards per game in 2023. Pacheco will have a chance to bounce back on the ground in addition to his contributions in the receiving game.