The Kansas City Chiefs saw RB Isiah Pacheco leave the game Sunday with an ankle injury. While initially, there was positivity that the star running back might not miss any time, those hopes were crushed on Monday morning. Early on Monday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Pacheco has fractured his fibula and is set to miss some time.
Both players bring different skill sets to the field, and choosing the right player within this potent offense can help elevate your roster over the coming weeks. Let’s break down Steele’s fantasy value compared to Perine’s and guide you to the correct decision.
Is Carson Steele or Samaje Perine the Better Option To Add in Isiah Pacheco’s Absence?
The Chiefs’ next couple of games will be against the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers, so Kansas City should be favored in both.
That means that the game script should include plenty of rushing, making Steele a potentially significant piece of the offense while Pacheco is out.
MORE: How Long Will Isiah Pacheco Be Out? Latest Injury Update
With that being said, Steele isn’t the only back on the Kansas City roster other than Pacheco. In fact, veteran Samaje Perine is listed ahead of Steele on the unofficial depth chart, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell that from the game against the Bengals.
Steele carried the ball seven times for 24 yards, while Perine didn’t get any rushes, although he was more involved in the air game than was Steele. In Week 1, Steele only ran the ball twice, but Perine didn’t have a carry then either.
The undrafted rookie Carson Steele really ran right over everybody 😳
📺: #CINvsKC on CBS/Paramount
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/nU5IRfTl5F— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024
Now, with a couple of weeks of preparation and gamedays under his belt, Andy Reid and the rest of the Kansas City offensive staff could be ready to let Perine loose, especially now that their collective hand has been forced to a degree. Steele is an exciting young player, but giving him Pacheco’s full workload right out of the gate could prove to be a daunting task.
Interestingly enough, despite his lack of a role as a rusher, Perine has picked up a reception in both games he’s played with the Chiefs thus far, while Steele has not recorded any catches this year. Pacheco picked up a couple of catches per game with the Chiefs last year, so if Steele isn’t going to be much of a receiver — which he wasn’t in college — that’s a role Perine could fill.
Overall, it’s hard to imagine anything other than a committee approach being taken with the two backs. With the Chiefs set to be favored in their next couple of games, a run-heavy script could be in store, with plenty of carries for both.
There’s no guarantee that either Perine or Steele will have production when Pacheco comes back, so until there’s clarity on the severity of his injury, it’s hard to know the immediate fantasy value of either. If you’re in dire need, especially if that’s because Pacheco is on your team, consider picking up Perine, but certainly don’t make a concerted effort to clear out roster space for him.