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Isiah Pacheco 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook: Hoping New Scenery Brings Old Form
Running back Isiah Pacheco began his career as an explosive, efficient option for the Chiefs, but his effectiveness has been limited since he fractured his fibula early in the 2024 season. Pacheco totaled only 563 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games in 2025. Worse, he has now finished with under 4.0 yards per carry two years in a row, and he has just two breakaway runs over the past two years compared to 19 in his first two. Now, Pacheco has joined the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal, replacing the departing David Montgomery. He will operate behind star tailback Jahmyr Gibbs, although the extent of his likely workload is uncertain. While Montgomery found plenty of success in a complementary role with Gibbs, Pacheco represents a downgrade at this point. However, the Lions have a great offense for fantasy purposes, a fact that should not change even with the introduction of new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Pacheco should also be used more in the red zone with Detroit, leading to more scoring opportunities. He has been going as the RB50 in fantasy drafts, and despite his recent struggles, Pacheco provides value at that price.
