With the injury to Isiah Pacheco, fantasy football managers are left with a void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury to Isiah Pacheco and players you can target on your fantasy football waiver wire this week.
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Injury Replacements: Isiah Pacheco
Injury Outlook
Isiah Pacheco fractures fibula, will miss significant time
Tests confirmed that Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco has a fractured fibula (calf bone). The severity is yet to be determined, but he will miss significant time in the 2024 season.
Fantasy Impact
The Chiefs’ backfield now belongs to veteran RB Samaje Perine and preseason star Carson Steele. Both are worth a pickup in the Kansas City offense, with the edge going to Perine for his pass-catching abilities. Pacheco should presumably hit IR for those who want to stash him.
Kelly Kirby
Waiver Wire Replacements to Target
RUNNING BACKS
Written by Bo McBrayer
Ty Chandler (MIN): 29% rostered
- Next Opponents: HOU, @GB, NYJ
- True value: $10
- Desperate Need: $15
- Budget-minded: $5
Analysis: While Aaron Jones has been the starter in the Vikings’ backfield, Chandler has persisted as a noteworthy contributor in both games this season. He led Minnesota in rushing again on Sunday with 82 yards on 10 carries, easily eclipsing Jones. The receiving role for Chandler hasn’t developed yet, but he remains a handcuff-with-benefits who is startable in leagues with multiple flex spots.
Bucky Irving (TB): 34% rostered
- Next Opponents: DEN, PHI, @ATL
- True value: $9
- Desperate Need: $14
- Budget-minded: $4
Analysis: Death, taxes and Rachaad White running into the back of his linemen. White’s struggles between the tackles were rumored to be the driving force in Tampa Bay selecting Irving in this year’s draft, and White has done nothing to suggest the move was ill-advised. Irving is not quite the receiver or home run threat White is, but the rookie has outstanding vision and contact balance. Seven carries for 22 yards isn’t an exciting stat line, but Irving’s Week 2 output continues a pattern that causes us to forecast a ramping-up for the rookie as this season progresses.
Rico Dowdle (DAL): 41% rostered
- Next Opponents: BAL, @NYG, @PIT
- True value: $8
- Desperate Need: $13
- Budget-minded: $3
Analysis: On the surface, Dowdle’s heavy usage in the passing game (five targets, four receptions for 29 yards) might be waved off as insignificant in Dallas’ blowout home loss to New Orleans. Dowdle did most of that damage in the first half, not in garbage time. He was also the first RB on the field for the Cowboys and seems to be the class of this backfield over Ezekiel Elliott and Deuce Vaughn. It’s not nothing that Dowdle serves a major role in a normally dynamic offense.
Carson Steele (KC): 2% rostered
- Next Opponents: @ATL, @LAC, NO
- True value: $7
- Desperate Need: $12
- Budget-minded: $4
Analysis: Isiah Pacheco reportedly has a fractured fibula and will miss extended time, leaving a humongous void in Andy Reid’s backfield. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is currently on the reserve/non-football illness list for post-traumatic stress disorder and will remain there through at least Week 4. Rookie fullback Carson Steele was given seven carries on Sunday for 24 yards. He lost a fumble, but it did not cause him to cede more work to Samaje Perine. Steele is now the only physical presence in this offense. He has serious short-yardage thumping power, but don’t go overboard adding a rookie fullback unless you’re desperate.
Samaje Perine (KC): 4% rostered
- Next Opponents: @ATL, @LAC, NO
- True value: $7
- Desperate Need: $12
- Budget-minded: $4
Analysis: The Chiefs are exciting. They have the best QB in the league and a couple of awesome playmakers in their receiving corps. Fantasy managers have long gone broke paying up for Kansas City RBs. Samaje Perine only touched the ball once Sunday in a close game after starter Isiah Pacheco went down with an ankle injury and rookie backup Carson Steele lost a fumble. It was a 3-yard reception late in the game and didn’t matter. I expect Perine to be a priority add in plenty of waiver articles, but I simply cannot endorse it.
Antonio Gibson (NE):16% rostered
- Next Opponents: @NYJ, @SF, MIA
- True value: $7
- Desperate Need: $11
- Budget-minded: $3
Analysis: I tried to explain to anyone who would listen how former Washington Commanders would smash ADP once they escaped the nation’s capital. Antonio Gibson looks really good in Foxborough. He carried 11 times on Sunday for 96 yards and tacked on a 7-yard reception. The Patriots took Seattle to overtime one week after beating Cincinnati in their opener. Gibson is a worthy counterpart to Rhamondre Stevenson and is sorely under-rostered.
Blake Corum (LAR): 43% rostered
- Next Opponents: SF, @CHI, GB
- True value: $6
- Desperate Need: $9
- Budget-minded: $2
Analysis: Anyone who drafted Blake Corum felt listless when the rookie from Michigan never stepped between the white lines in Week 1. Trust the process. Corum jumped right in as Kyren Williams‘ backup and earned eight rushing attempts. He gained more yards than Williams, who could only muster 22 yards on his 12 carries. Arizona was phenomenal at blowing up the line of scrimmage in the blowout win, which didn’t help in the game script department for the Rams RBs. Corum is going to take this job. Grab him while he’s affordable.
D’Onta Foreman (CLE): 1% rostered
- Next Opponents: NYG, @LV, @WAS
- True value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-minded: $0
Analysis: Foreman was a big part of the Browns’ first offensive series of Week 2, suggesting that Jerome Ford doesn’t have a stranglehold on the Browns’ backfield until Nick Chubb eventually returns from a leg injury. Ford still led the Cleveland backfield in snaps, getting 32 to Foreman’s 27, but Foreman had a team-high 14 carries for 42 yards in the Browns’ 18-13 win over the Jaguars on Sunday, adding a 9-yard catch. It’s possible this is indeed a split backfield now. But realize that Foreman offers very little pass-catching upside, and his window of value most likely slams shut whenever Chubb comes back. Bid cautiously.
Stash Candidates:
Clyde Edwards-Helaire could eventually be part of the mix in the Kansas City backfield in the wake of Isiah Pacheco’s fractured fibula. Edwards-Helaire is on the reserve/non-football illness list for post-traumatic stress disorder and won’t be back until at least Week 5. People in your league are apt to chase Samaje Perine and Carson Steele on waivers this week. A modest bid on Edwards-Helaire might be the wiser play.
The Dolphins’ backfield is already proving to be a war of attrition, with Raheem Mostert out in Week 2 and Devon Achane limping through a sprained ankle. Jalen Wright hasn’t done much so far, but In Week 2 he looked more vibrant as a ballcarrier than elder statesman Jeff Wilson.
James Cook was amazing on Thursday night, but I was also paying attention to just how much dog Ray Davis has in him. He was given nine carries and one target in the blowout win over Miami and looked fine. He is a really nice stash behind a finesse starter.
Braelon Allen scored two touchdowns on Sunday. He only touched the ball nine times but looked really good in the process. While some casuals might run to add him on waivers, chasing the random spike week, Allen is a worthy stash as Breece Hall‘s clear backup in a previously muddy committee.
The Houston Texans’ offense is so much fun. Joe Mixon was stellar in Week 1, but left Sunday night’s clash with the Bears with an ankle injury and missed a few series before returning to action. Cam Akers, with a pair of Achilles injuries in the last four years, looked impressive in the preseason. He was added to the roster and made a couple flashy plays. Dare Ogunbawale is an outlet receiver only. Akers is the clear next man up if Mixon is unavailable.
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