RADIO
Isiah Pacheco 2024 Outlook: Should Dominate Backfield Touches Once Again
7 months agoIsiah Pacheco enters his 3rd season in the NFL coming off a career-year in 2023. He finished as the RB16 on a per-game basis averaging nearly 14 fantasy points per game. Despite playing just 14 games last season, Pacheco tallied 50 red zone touches, good for 7th among all running backs. Of players with more than 50 red zone touches in 2023, only Tony Pollard (6) scored fewer touchdowns than Pacheco (9). While many teams added running backs in the offseason via the NFL Draft and Free Agency, the Chiefs seemed content going into the 2024 season with Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Being that CEH hasn't played a ton in recent years, Pacheco seems poised for another big workload this season. Per Fantasy Points Data, the 3rd-year back out of Rutgers was 6th among running backs in explosive run rate with 7+ men in the box (6.1%). That was higher than Saquon Barkley, Breece Hall, Derrick Henry, and Christian McCaffrey. Pacheco, who had a 72.4% opportunity share in 2023, seems poised to at least match that in 2024. Consider him a safe low-end RB1 this season with some upside in one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.
