Lions RB depth chart gets hit with Isiah Pacheco injury following Jahmyr Gibbs’ huge contract extension

Jahmyr Gibbs is the highest-paid running back in the NFL. However, he’s always worked in some sort of committee where there’s another physical running back making the heavy work. That is Isiah Pacheco, though he suffered an MCL sprain that has sidelined him from the Detroit Lions training camp.

Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, head coach Dan Campbell confirmed the MCL sprain injury, but also expects Pacheco to be able to play in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. Still, Pacheco, who has a history of leg injuries, should be taking good care if he wants to be available.

Pacheco comes to replace David Montgomery. Both are more rustic, strong, go-for-contact backs. Meanwhile, Gibbs is more an agile, explosive, high-octane runner with homerun ability.

Pacheco’s injury history

A seventh-rounder who overcame the odds and won a Super Bowl being an intrinsical part of the Chiefs roster saw how his career came, once again, to a halt due to very gruesome injuries. These are the injuries he’s suffered, mainly on the legs:

• Fractured Fibula (2024): Missed 10 games after breaking a bone in his lower leg early in the 2024 season, though he returned in time for the team’s playoff stretch.
• MCL Sprain (2025): Missed four games during his final year with the Kansas City Chiefs due to a right knee sprain.
• MCL Sprain (2026): Suffered a minor knee injury in August 2026 training camp with the Lions, missing practices but tracking to play in the opener.

See also

Dan Campbell reveals Lions will push Jahmyr Gibbs this season: ‘He’s only scratched the surface’

Pacheco needs a bounce back year

In his first two seasons, Pacheco ran for 830 and 935 yards respectively. However, then injuries came to plague him. In 2024, Pacheco only played eight games and ran for 310 yards. Then, last season he ran for 462. Hence, his decline has been steep.

At 27-years-old, there is still chance for Pacheco to recover and be a valuable piece. However, being on the Lions with Gibbs on the depth chart, his shot at being RB1 rely on his health and Gibbs‘. If Gibbs isn’t injured, he won’t be RB1 anytime soon.