The Kansas City Chiefs may have claimed a dramatic win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season, but it is not all sunshine and roses for Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
On Monday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported initial tests showed Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco fractured his fibula, which is why the player will probably spend significant time on the sidelines.
Adam Schefter of ESPN adds Pacheco is expected to be placed on injured reserve, which means Mahomes won’t count on his primary running back for at least four weeks and “quite possibly longer.”
The 25-year-old underwent X-rays after Sunday’s win over the Bengals but Schefter claims Pacheco will undergo an MRI today to see if there’s a fracture and/or ligament damage to his ankle.
Either way, the outlook is not encouraging for Mahomes and Reid. Not only are the Chiefs losing their starting running back, but they’re also missing yet another important weapon in offense early in the 2024 NFL season.
Reid, Mahomes deal with another big loss in the Chiefs offense
Pacheco’s injury comes shortly after a huge setback with veteran wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who could miss the entire season due to a sternoclavicular joint dislocation sustained during the Chiefs’ first preseason game.
Brown’s injury was a huge loss since the team had high expectations on its free agency signing, but Mahomes seems to be doing fine with second-year wideout Rashee Rice and rookie WR Xavier Worthy in the meantime.
Pacheco’s loss seems to be worse though, since Kansas City’s running game relies heavily on the 2022 seventh-round pick. Without him, the other options on the depth chart are rookie Carson Steele and veteran RB Samaje Perine. Both players joined the Chiefs this year, so we’ll have to wait and see whether they can step up and fill in the starter’s shoes.
How many Chiefs games will Pacheco miss?
If Pacheco ends up on injured reserve as expected, Mahomes will miss his primary weapon for the running game for at least four weeks. That will see the Chiefs play without their RB1 in the following games:
- Chiefs at Falcons – Sep. 22
- Chiefs at Chargers – Sep. 29
- Chiefs vs Saints – Oct. 7
- Chiefs at 49ers – Oct. 20