Isiah Pacheco's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings
Player profile
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HT/WT5' 10'' , 216 lbs
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Birthdate03/02/1999 (25)
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CollegeRutgers
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Draft Info2022: Rd 7, Pk 251 (KC)
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StatusActive
2024 season stats
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Rushing Attempts34 9th
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Rushing Yards135 15th
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Rushing Touchdowns1 12th
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Total DYAR18 14th
Ah, the sweet siren song of the NFL preseason, where every player is in the best shape of their life and the unheralded rookies shine like diamonds in the rough during drills. It's that time of year when coaches wax poetic about every last guy on the roster, setting fantasy football chat boards alight with speculation and hype.Let's cut through the noise a bit as unfortunately, not every story is a fairy tale here. Players are wrestling with injuries, grappling with inconsistency, and duking it out in fierce roster battles. These aren't always front-page news, but keen eyes on usage and preseason snaps can speak volumes. These under-the-radar signals might just hint at who's slipping down the depth charts.So, who's not living up to the hype? Here's a rundown of players at each position whose fantasy stocks have taken a preseason plunge. That's not to say you shouldn't draft any of these players or that they will be busts in 2024, the purpose of this article is just to point out which way the arrow is pointing for some of these players.
Running Backs
Kendre Miller, New Orleans SaintsIt hasn't been the best tenure for Miller since he was drafted by the Saints in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He suffered a knee injury at the end of his final season at TCU that ended up lingering into 2023 training camp and the regular season after Miller pulled his hamstring. Despite starting running back Alvin Kamara missing three games with a suspension, Miller was never able to get on the field and finished his rookie campaign with just 41 rushes for 156 yards and 1 TD to go with 10 receptions for 117 yards.During training camp this summer, Miller suffered another pulled hamstring, and Saints head coach said that Miller is going to have to figure out how to stay healthy during a post-practice interview with the press. As of right now, it appears Miller is in danger of losing his roster spot or of being buried on the depth chart altogether.Many in the dynasty space liked Miller as a prospect, but it appears his head coach's patience is wearing thin. It's likely that Miller would get picked up by another team if he were released, but changing teams this late in the preseason isn't ideal as he'd have to learn an entirely new offense. Perhaps we are all overreacting here, but the drumbeat for Miller hasn't been a solid one at all this summer.Roschon Johnson, Chicago BearsThere were some rumblings of fellow RB Khalil Herbert getting traded, but those murmurs seem to have faded for the time being. Herbert is an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season, and the Bears would likely get more for Herbert via compensatory picks than they would from trading him at this point.The team is all-in on building around No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams at quarterback and helping to get him as many weapons as possible as a rookie. D'Andre Swift was signed to a free agent deal this offseason and despite showing promise as a rookie, Roschon seems buried on the bench as the team's RB3 at this stage. Johnson averaged 4.9 yards per touch (20th among RBs) in 2023 and also featured a 9.5% target share and is a capable player when he's on the field.However, this backfield is trending towards being a three-way committee with a rookie quarterback under head coach Matt Eberflus, making it a very difficult needle to thread for fantasy football in 2024.Josh Jacobs, Green Bay PackersJacobs took a tumble in ADP over the summer after reports came out of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur suggesting that he prefers a committee-based approach with multiple backs to keep them fresh for the playoffs. Looking back at LaFleur's running back usage over five years as Green Bay's head coach, he's never given any back over a 62 percent snap share in a season.Green Bay drafted RB MarShawn Lloyd out of USC in the third round of the draft and A.J. Dillon still looms on the depth chart. The fact that Lloyd has been sidelined with a hamstring injury for much of training camp has meant that he hasn't been on the field to get meaningful reps and establish a role for himself in the offense.Despite how much the markets have frowned upon Josh Jacobs over the summer, the reality is he's going to be leaned on heavily, at least early in the season in what could be a very good offense. Buy the dip!#Saints HC Dennis Allen on Kendre Miller:
"All I can go off of is what I've been able to evaluate and, quite frankly, since we drafted him, there hasn't been a whole lot of new information other than what I saw on the college tape, because he hasn't been available.""He's pic.twitter.com/tSRDrAh7nD The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) August 21, 2024
Tony Pollard, Tennessee TitansPollard was signed to a healthy 3-year / $21.75 million contract this offseason and many across the fantasy landscape assumed that meant he was going to be the guy. However, the Titans' coaching staff has come out multiple times saying that they view Pollard and fellow RB Tyjae Spears as "interchangeable," a sort of "1-A" and "1-B" in their backfield.Pollard was going well ahead of Spears for a portion of the summer, but now they are both going close to each other in ADP. Neither of them is a bad fantasy pick at this point due to the reality that each of them has contingent-based upside if the other back misses time, but Spears is the younger and more explosive of the two backs.Under new head coach Brian Callahan, the Titans have a chance to improve their offense by leaps and bounds compared to 2023. If you still believe in Pollard, now is a good time to buy the dip.Rachaad White, Tampa Bay BuccaneersAfter head coach Todd Bowles came out this offseason and suggested that they needed to give White a little bit of a breather and get another running back involved in the offense, many in the fantasy football community panicked. Whether or not to draft White is a huge conundrum for fantasy football in 2024 as there are pros and cons.Drafting White might feel like a good move at first glance, but the guy's averaging a modest 3.7 yards per carry across his career, and his efficiency metrics as a runner were some of the worst in the NFL last season.The plot thickens with the Bucs' latest draft pick, Bucky Irving, fresh off two 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Oregon and known for snagging four passes a game last year. Plus, there's Sean Tucker, who disappointed as an undrafted rookie free agent last season, but the team is still giving him a chance to prove himself.The problem with White compared to last year is that he's being drafted as a fringe RB1, in the same neighborhood as Isiah Pacheco and James Cook. White offers tremendous upside as a pass-catcher, but there are valid reasons to be concerned about him holding down the job again for another full season.AJ Dillon stinger.MarShawn Lloyd's hamstring.
Josh Jacobs workhorse 2024. https://t.co/fvUEmaa0Cm Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 21, 2024
Wide Receivers
Marquise Brown, Kansas City ChiefsThere's a ton to like about Brown this season as he adds a strong vertical element to the Chiefs' offense that they haven't had since star wideout Tyreek Hill was traded. However, Brown suffered a nasty injury early in the preseason that caused him to be hospitalized. While there is optimism in Kansas City for an early return, one of my favorite medical experts isn't so sure.It's no secret that the Chiefs offense has the possibility of being much more explosive compared to the last two years, but there are a bevy of mouths to feed. Stud TE Travis Kelce was just re-signed to an extension, the team traded up for WR Xavier Worthy in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, and second-year wideout Rashee Rice is very good.While the outlook is still solid for a healthy Brown overall, his injury might cause him to get bumped down in the pecking order for now.Mike Williams, New York JetsIf Jets QB Aaron Rodgers can return to form after his Achilles injury, there is reason for optimism about the Jets offense this year. Outside of stud wideout Garrett Wilson, there isn't anyone out there as the team's established No. 2 pass catcher.Williams has been one of the biggest 'what ifs' in fantasy during his time with the Chargers. Yeah, he's put up some solid numbers but has only cracked the top 30 in full-PPR formats once.Here's the harsh truth: Williams has only seen 100+ targets once, hit 1,000 yards twice, and never reached 80 catches in a season. Now, with a new team and no clear timetable for his return, expecting a breakout in 2024 feels like a long shot, but there is a scenario where he could outperform his ADP, especially in best ball formats.Jordan Addison, Minnesota VikingsIt's been a rough offseason for Addison and the Vikings in general. The second-year wideout was arrested for a DUI over the summer and nearly suffered a season-ending injury in training camp on the same day that rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy was ruled out for the season after suffering a meniscus tear.Writing up Marquise Brown in the fade due to injury breakdown and realizing that people were drafting him ~WR37.
~61.3 overall ADP.He should probably drop at least 2-3 full rounds, even if he's back by Wk2-3. Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 12, 2024
Veteran Sam Darnold will step in as the Vikings quarterback for the full season after many had anticipated he would only start the first four games before McCarthy took over following the team's Week 5 bye. Going from McCarthy to Darnold for a full season shouldn't move the needle all that much, but it does remove a scenario where McCarthy would have played much better than Darnold in the second half of the year.You shouldn't fade Justin Jefferson in fantasy because of Darnold, but it's fair to have doubts about him supporting Addison and T.J. Hockenson this year. While there's enough reason to be optimistic about head coach Kevin O'Connell keeping this offense humming, it's fair to have questions about a quarterback on his fourth team in seven years.Troy Franklin, Denver BroncosThere was a reason to be hopeful for Franklin despite falling to the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Early on Day 3, the Broncos moved up in the draft to select Franklin and reunite him with his old college quarterback, Bo Nix.Franklin is a taller receiver who is a total burner on the outside but reports out of training camp thus far have suggested that Franklin is struggling to get off press and isn't running routes well. While it's still fine to be optimistic about Franklin for dynasty purposes, he appears buried on the depth chart for now.Kevin O'Connell confirms that WR Jordan Addison avoided a major ankle injury. "I don't see him missing any extended time," he told reporters at Browns facility.
LB Blake Cashman injured a finger yesterday and needed surgery. He'll return once the stitches heal, per O'Connell. Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) August 15, 2024
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is unlikely to play during Thursday's preseason finale against the Chicago Bears. Fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned as the Chiefs are expected to bench most of their offensive starters. Pacheco is undoubtedly the lead back in Kansas City after having back-to-back strong campaigns to begin his career. That being said, the team doesn't want to risk any injury to Pacheco in an exhibition game. Clyde Edwards-Helaire should join Pacheco on the sideline for this one. That being said, Deneric Prince and Keaontay Ingram should be the primary backs for the Chiefs during Thursday's contest.
When Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was asked by reporters who would fill the void of the 3rd-down running back role left by Jerick McKinnon, he praised Isiah Pacheco and his readiness to take on the responsibility. "He's ready to be able to do all that. He's good with the protections, he's good with the technique and fundamentals, he can run all the routes, he's got great hands." Pacheco out-targeted McKinnon (49-to-32) in 2023 and led him in receptions and yardage. Though McKinnon did outscore the Rutgers product 4-to-2. If what Reid means is that Pacheco is meant to absorb this workload, that would be fantastic news. The third-year Chiefs running back is the RB10 in RotoBaller rankings and the No. 27 overall player in NFFC ADP (RB11). Pacheco had 49 receptions last season and would see his fantasy floor and ceiling rise if his snap share increases.
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.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ankle, toe) continues to deal with nagging ankle and toe injuries, but he'll be all systems go for Sunday's Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers. Although the Niners allowed the second-fewest rushing yards to RBs (1,097) during the regular season, they were beat up a bit by opposing tailbacks in the passing game for the fifth-most catches (90) and seventh-most receiving yards (625) to the position. Aaron Jones accrued 116 total yards in the Divisional Round in San Fran, while Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 169 total yards and a TD in the NFC title game. Hitting paydirt in last year's big game, Pacheco has been very productive in six career playoff games, flipping 112 touches into 543 scrimmage yards and four TDs. Working in both early-down and pass-game situations, Pacheco probably features the safest floor among K.C.'s supporting cast on Super Bowl Sunday.