Isiah Pacheco is missing today’s game because he is on the Injured Reserve list after undergoing back surgery. Pacheco’s career has been injury-riddled for a while now. Both the Bills and Lions have established their RB depth charts for this game.

In fact, Pacheco dealt with injuries all the way back in training camp. The new Lions RB was dealing with an MCL sprain back then, even before needing back surgery.

When is Pacheco scheduled to be back?

Head coach Dan Campbell stated he will miss a significant amount of time, with an expected 12-week recovery and a potential return around December. So, if the running back is able to get on the field, he will ramp up his actions just before the NFL playoffs. These are the injuries Pacheco’s had in the NFL:

• 2024 – Fractured Fibula: Suffered early in the 2024 season, limiting him to just 7 games.
• 2024 – Ribs & Ankle: Listed on injury reports with ankle issues (Week 12) and rib injuries (Week 18).
• 2025 – Knee / MCL Issues: Missed time over a month during the 2025 season, with official game reports listing knee injuries around Weeks 9 and 11.
• 2026 – Training Camp Sprained MCL: Suffered a knee injury early in training camp with the Detroit Lions.
• 2026 – Back Injury & Surgery: Picked up a lumbar/back issue while recovering from his knee injury, leading to placement on the injured reserve and back surgery in September 2026 to fix a nerve issue

Lions RB depth chart vs Bills

The Bills’ new Highmark Stadium has a different capacity than their old venue, but it will be packed for this game. Hence, the Lions will face a hostile environment as they seek new ways to find a victory vs Bills. For Detroit, running the football is key. Therefore, these RBs will be crucial for them as the game develops:

• Jahmyr Gibbs
• Sione Vaki
• Jacob Saylors

Detroit News Lions beat writer Nolan Bianchi delivered the update Monday on social media platform X. “Coach Dan Campbell says RB Isiah Pacheco (back) had surgery. Said he’s going to be out ‘a significant amount of time,’“ Bianchi posted.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport added more details regarding Pacheco’s setback on X. “Isiah Pacheco had surgery to remove a body that was pressing on a nerve in his back, source said,” Rapoport posted. “It’s a 12-week recovery, with a chance he’s back by early December. Originally, Pacheco had an MCL injury, then hurt his back while training.”

An unfortunate situation for Pacheco

Pacheco was already slated to miss Detroit‘s first four games after being placed on the injured reserve list with a designation to return on Sept. 1 while dealing with an MCL sprain and a back injury, both of which he suffered during training camp.

The Lions added Pacheco this offseason as a free agent to pair with star running back Jahmyr Gibbs after trading veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. He spent his first four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won two Super Bowl titles.

When he has been on the field, he has produced 2,537 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns in 51 games (42 starts). Pacheco has also been an effective receiver with 88 catches for 554 yards (6.3 per reception) and three touchdowns.

Who will step up in Pacheco’s absence?

With Pacheco out, the Lions offense will need to lean on Jahmyr Gibbs even more than they already do. Former fourth-round pick Sione Vaki also takes on a more significant role.

Gibbs delivered a solid NFL Week 1 performance, going for 156 yards and two touchdowns on his 29 carries in an overtime victory over the Saints. Vaki had two carries for seven yards and struggled as a blocker.

The answer is simple: the Chiefs decided to part with veteran running back Isiah Pacheco earlier this year as they looked to rebuild their offense after a failed 2025 campaign. Pacheco quickly found work with the Detroit Lions, who signed him to a one-year contract in free agency.

However, even if Pacheco were still with the Chiefs, he would not have been available to play. While Detroit’s ground game was already spearheaded by speedy rusher Jahmyr Gibbs, Pacheco was expected to make an immediate impact for the Lions as a second or third option in the team’s offensive backfield.

What happened to Pacheco?

Instead, Pacheco found himself on Detroit’s injured reserve list to start the 2026 season, failing to make his debut in the Lions’ Week 1 overtime win against the New Orleans Saints on September 13.

With Pacheco on the sideline, Detroit leaned on Gibbs in the running game, giving the former Alabama Crimson Tide star 29 carries in its 31-30 victory over New Orleans. Crucially, Pacheco is dealing with an injury that is not expected to continue impacting his play long-term, but parting ways was one of those tough decisions the Chiefs had to make for upcoming NFL seasons.

The Chiefs’ history with Pacheco and new-look offense

In recent years, the Chiefs have lacked a dominant ground attack due to constant injuries suffered by former starting running back Pacheco. For that reason, they decided to let him walk in free agency this year, signing Kenneth Walker in his place—who was the MVP of the last Super Bowl while playing for the Seattle Seahawks.

With Walker, they will look to establish the ground game from the start and relieve some pressure from Mahomes, who already has his backup QB defined for the matchup, as does Bo Nix.

In the air, Travis Kelce, who is expected to play today, and Rashee Rice must prove themselves as they continue to serve as his primary weapons. They will have to do a better job this year, especially after their preseason performances, where they appeared out of shape and lacked sync with Mahomes.

Pacheco’s placement on IR immediately raises questions about the running back depth chart and whether the room remains deep enough for the Lions to sustain a big season. The team expects strong performance out of its running backs, but doubts now arise with Pacheco sidelined. With Pacheco out, the running back depth chart features:

• Jahmyr Gibbs
• Sione Vaki
• Jacob Saylors
• Jabari Small

Potential return timeline for Pacheco

The move means Pacheco will miss Detroit’s first four games against the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Carolina Panthers. The earliest he could return would be Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 11. Detroit then has its bye in Week 6.

Pacheco originally went down with a sprained MCL during training camp. At the time, head coach Dan Campbell expressed optimism that he could be ready for Detroit’s regular-season opener.

Detroit signed Pacheco in March after trading David Montgomery to the Houston Texans, with the former Kansas City Chief expected to become the primary complement to Jahmyr Gibbs.

Pacheco spent his first four NFL seasons with Kansas City and enters 2026 with 2,537 rushing yards, 554 receiving yards, and 17 total touchdowns. He also brings two Super Bowl championships to a Lions team trying to make its own postseason run.

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.

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.

“There were a lot of teams, (and) I had eight opportunities to go to different teams. Kansas City was one of them,” Pacheco said during his introductory press conference in Detroit.

“Once they made that move (signing Kenneth Walker III), I knew that I had to open up the door to go somewhere else. This (Lions) was the first place I thought of.”

Pacheco’s experience with Chiefs before Lions move

The Chiefs handed a big contract to Walker, who hit free agency after winning Super Bowl MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. After that, Pacheco signed a one-year, $1.81 million fully guaranteed deal to join the Lions.

Pacheco is coming off a lackluster season with the Chiefs, recording just 462 yards while averaging 35 rushing yards per game and 3.9 per carry in 2025. However, his past performances make him an interesting fit for Detroit.

In 2023, Pacheco racked up 935 rushing yards for seven touchdowns, improving his numbers from a promising rookie year in 2022 (830 rushing yards for five touchdowns).

Pacheco boosts Lions RB room

A key contributor to two Super Bowl wins in Kansas City, Pacheco is bringing championship experience to a Lions team that needed depth in the RB room after trading David Montgomery to the Houston Texans.

He’ll be the second running back on the depth chart behind Jahmyr Gibbs, a player Pacheco is looking forward to playing with.

“Jahmyr is a hell of a player,” Pacheco said. “Hats off to him and the guys who have been putting in work here for a couple years now.

“Me looking from the outside in, it’s a hell of a group, and whatever I can do to contribute to the team is going to happen. Whether that’s punting the ball, whatever it’s at, no matter where I’m at on the field, cheering the guys on, bringing excitement to the team, bringing leadership, accountability.”

Pacheco felt it was time to leave Kansas City

Pacheco could’ve stayed in Kansas City, but with Walker arriving to take the RB1 role, he may have faced bigger competition with Brashard Smith entering his second year in the league. Besides, the Chiefs can still bring back Kareem Hunt.

Perhaps a change of scenery is what he needed at this point in his young career. Detroit wants to get over the hump, and Pacheco could play a role in helping Dan Campbell lead the Lions to a long-awaited Super Bowl.

Pacheco will likely serve as the short-yardage and power-back option in a running back room that is led by star Jahmyr Gibbs. In addition to “Sonic”—who recently bid farewell to “Knuckles”—, the Lions‘ HB depth chart includes Jacob Saylors, Sione Vaki, and Kye Robichaux, per ourlads.com.

As for the Chiefs, they can afford to lose Pacheco as Kenneth Walker’s arrival provides a big boost to their updated depth chart. In addition to Walker, Kansas City’s room features Brashard Smith and restricted free agent Keaontay Ingram. Whether Kareem Hunt—an UFA—is brought back, remains to be seen.

Pacheco is coming off a down year in 2025

Pacheco took the NFL by storm upon arrival. Winning back-to-back Super Bowls with the Chiefs in his first two seasons, it seemed like he was destined to be one of the best tailbacks of this generation. However, his production took a bump in the 2025 campaign.

Last season, Pacheco registered just 563 total yards (462 rushing and 101 receiving). It was the second-lowest total of his NFL career, only ahead of his 2024 output. However, during that campaign, Pacheco missed 10 games due to injury.

In 2025, he missed four games, marking the third straight season he has been sidelined at some point. His downward-trending yardage and injury concerns help explain why the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t hand him a contract extension.

Pacheco can be key piece for Lions

As for the Lions, they needed someone to share the backfield with Gibbs. Not because the product out of the University of Alabama needs help whatsoever, but because he needs the occasional breather. If the NFL were a video game and Detroit could simply turn off injuries, Gibbs would likely be on the field for every offensive snap in Motown.

Moreover, Pacheco and Gibbs may hit it off right from the start as Pacheco’s “angry run” playing style is similar to Montgomery’s, which opens up the gaps for Gibbs to pace through with his unparalleled speed. It seems Dan Campbell has found his bread and butter when it comes to the ground game, and Pacheco’s signing only confirms it.

Running back Isiah Pacheco is hitting unrestricted free agency, and Jesse Newell of The Athletic reports that he is considered “likely” to join another NFL team in the open market.

Pacheco, who turns 27 in March, is free to explore his options for 2026 as his rookie deal expired last season. Selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Rutgers, he’s been a key member of the Chiefs RB room, contributing to two Super Bowl victories.

Isiah Pacheco might be heading for Chiefs exit

That said, injuries stood in his way in the last two years, and 2025 was particularly tough for the Chiefs’ running game. Kareem Hunt led the team with only 611 rushing yards, followed by Pacheco with just 462 and Mahomes with 422.

The fact that the quarterback produced almost the same numbers as the starting running back speaks for itself. While it shows how much danger Mahomes can produce with his legs, it also proves that Pacheco had a bad year.

We’re still talking about a player who helped Reid and Mahomes win the Super Bowl in 2023 and 2024, which is why thinking about a change might be difficult. And even after a poor 2025, his name will still draw interest in free agency, along with other Chiefs players out of contract.

How the Chiefs could replace Pacheco

We’ll have to wait and see whether the Chiefs make an effort to bring him back, or if Pacheco seeks a bigger contract elsewhere. Either way, Reid and Mahomes will have options to bring a new running back if needed.

Free agency will allow the Chiefs to entertain the idea of pursuing a big name, with the likes of Kenneth Walker III, Breece Hall, and Travis Etienne running out of contract. The 2026 NFL Draft could also provide an opportunity to take a new prospect at the position, just like they did with Pacheco in 2022.

In a recent conversation with the media, the coach delivered good news to his quarterback. Although he is still recovering from a knee injury, all signs indicate that the running back will be able to play at AT&T Stadium.

“We’ll see how he does today. But we’ll get him in there. He’ll play,” Charles Goldman reported via his official X account. This is a significant upgrade for the Chiefs’ offense as they look to maintain their winning streak.

Pacheco has been one of the most indispensable pieces of this team, thanks to the explosiveness he brings to the ground game. His presence in Arlington will give Reid’s squad an important boost.

A long-awaited return

The Kansas City Chiefs are highly anticipating the return of starting running back Isiah Pacheco, who is targeting a return to the lineup for the crucial Thanksgiving Day road game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Pacheco has been sidelined since Week 8 with an MCL sprain in his right knee, and his comeback is expected to provide a significant boost to a Chiefs offense that has struggled to find consistency on the ground in his absence.

With the veteran back trending positively, as evidenced by his recent listing as a full practice participant, his return is vital for Kansas City as they seek to re-establish a reliable rushing attack and take pressure off the passing game in the final stretch of the season.

What’s next for the Chiefs?

The Chiefs face a demanding and high-profile slate of games as they fight for playoff positioning in the AFC West. Their crucial stretch begins with a massive national audience when they travel to face the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

Following that challenging road test, the Chiefs return home to Arrowhead for two consecutive games: first, a prime-time clash against the Houston Texans, and then a critical AFC West showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers, a rivalry game that could have significant implications for the division race and the Wild Card picture.

Former Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He will be placed on the team’s practice squad at first. Pierce had over 1,1000 scrimmage yards during his rookie season.

After that, the running back lost all his spotlight. Now, the Chiefs need him bad. Pacheco has missed three-straight games with an MCL sprain. Backup Kareem Hunt isn’t able to have all the workload by himself and rookie Brashard Smith is still not doing enough to convince Andy Reid and the coaching staff.

Dameon Pierce brings two different dynamics to the Chiefs

The Chiefs have used Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Smith and Elijah Mitchell ineffectively. Hence, Pierce, who had no snaps for Houston lately, could absolutely provide some speed.

Pierce has also worked as a returner and a pretty good one actually. As a matter of fact, he has returns of 98 and 80 yards already in his career. Right now, the Chiefs need any possible impact on offense they can get, so Pierce is a welcomed addition.

Pierce has the chance to revive his career

Pierce is one of the weirdest cases in recent memory. After a stellar rookie season, he just disappeared from the Texans‘ main weapons menu. He slipped and slipped until he was not a part of the Texans’ plans anymore.

At only 25 years old, Pierce still has time to develop once again into a productive player. In Andy Reid‘s offense, with Patrick Mahomes as the team’s quarterback, Pierce will have the best opportunity to create buzz around his name once again.

In the 2025 NFL season, the Chiefs have struggled to establish a consistent running game. Isiah Pacheco and Patrick Mahomes — yes, the quarterback — are currently the team’s rushing leaders, but they’ve now faced a major setback.

The Chiefs have confirmed that Pacheco will miss Week 9. This loss has prompted the club to make changes to its running back depth chart, as an old friend will return to the team this Sunday.

Chiefs add Clyde Edwards-Helaire to the 53-man roster

Isiah Pacheco is listed as the Chiefs’ starting running back. Unfortunately, injuries have had a big impact on him recently, and he couldn’t avoid another one in the 2025 season.

The former Rutgers standout is out for the Week 9 game against the Bills due to a knee issue. It’s a significant loss for Kansas City, but head coach Andy Reid has activated an emergency plan.

On Saturday, the Chiefs announced that Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been elevated from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Still, Kareem Hunt is expected to step up as RB1 during Pacheco’s absence.

Edwards-Helaire, a first-round pick in 2020, helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowl titles. He signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2024 as a free agent but played only two games there before returning to Kansas City last August.

How does the Chiefs’ depth chart at running back look for Week 9?

With Isiah Pacheco out, Kareem Hunt is expected to take most of the snaps as the lead running back. His numbers haven’t been great, as he has rushed for 245 yards — 35 fewer than Patrick Mahomes.

Behind Hunt are Brashard Smith, Elijah Mitchell, and now Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The latter is currently listed as the team’s RB4, but his experience could quickly elevate him in the rotation on Sunday.