The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to welcome back running back Isiah Pacheco from injury this week and he could be in for a big workload right away.
Pacheco sustained a knee injury in the Week 8 win over the Washington Commanders that forced him to miss the next three games.
However, Pacheco is practicing in full this week and head coach Andy Reid said he will indeed make his return to the lineup on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys.
What Reid wouldn't divulge, however, is how much work Pacheco would get in his first game back from injury.
"We'll get him in there," Reid said. "How much? I can't tell you that right now. We'll see how it goes."
But ESPN's Jeremy Fowler believes there's a scenario where Pacheco could see an increased workload in Week 13 thanks to Pacheco's fresh legs and the Chiefs' "obvious need for a stable rushing attack."
Though it's hard to envision him duplicating Hunt's Week 12 output this week, two things help Pacheco's cause: He thrives off volume, and he was the nitrous oxide for the Chiefs' offense during their Super Bowl run two years ago, with a playoff rushing line of 81-313-3 over four games. He's in a contract year, so the motivation is there. If Pacheco is past the injury bug, an uptick in workload and production isn't out of the question based on fresh legs and the Chiefs' obvious need for a stable rushing attack.
Kareem Hunt saw a huge workload in Week 12 with Pacheco sidelined. He carried the rock a whopping 30 times in the overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
With Hunt having to turn around and play a game just four days later, that could be another source of motivation for Kansas City to give Pacheco the ball more.
Pacheco and Hunt have been locked in a split all season long, which has led to the former getting just 11.1 touches per contest and 9.7 carries per. Pacheco has barely been involved in the passing attack, also.
A workload increase this week could lead to a huge game for Pacheco, as he faces a Cowboys defense giving up the 11th-most rushing yards per game and the 10th-most fantasy points per contest to the position.
Fowler's suggestion and the favorable matchup puts Pacheco on the flex radar for Week 13.
More NFL News
- Brian Schottenheimer has CeeDee Lamb message for Chiefs
- Lions' Aidan Hutchinson draws delusional take from Giants OL
- One stat shows how improbable Cowboys' win over Eagles was
- J.J. McCarthy's historically bad start to career summed up in one ugly stat
- Chip Kelly addresses getting fired by Las Vegas Raiders
- Shedeur Sanders makes Browns franchise history in first NFL start