The Chiefs hope to have their chief ball-carrier back by the end of the month.
Isiah Pacheco, who's missed the past six weeks after suffering a fractured fibula in Week 2, is eyeing a late November return and could return to practice within the next two to three weeks, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning.
Pacheco underwent successful surgery and was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 18. His reported timeline to return was at least six weeks.
Those six weeks are now up, with Pacheco still a few more out from returning. The undefeated Chiefs, who will try to earn their eighth win in as many tries Monday night against Tampa Bay, won't rush his comeback.
Kansas City has fared just fine this season without their 2022 and 2023 leading rusher. The Chiefs have not dropped a game since Christmas, and since mid-September, they have filled in Pacheco's carries with a collection of capable runners, led by in-season acquisition Kareem Hunt.
Hunt, whom the Chiefs signed days after Pacheco's injury, leads the team with 308 rushing yards and four scores in four games played. His 84 carries since making his season debut in Week 4 are the third-most in the NFL in that span. Hunt's in the middle of a three-game streak with 20-plus carries, 50-plus rushing yards and at least rushing touchdown, the first Kansas City RB to do that since ... he did in 2017.
Also contributing to the Chiefs' ground game have been Carson Steele (32 carries, 113 yards since Week 3), Samaje Perine (13, 45) and Patrick Mahomes himself (28, 107).
Pacheco's eventual return should send Steele and Perine back to the sidelines and provide the Chiefs with their most high-powered RB room since the days of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones. Couple that with the addition of veteran wideout DeAndre Hopkins to replace the injured Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown, and the Chiefs may be in a better position skill position-wise by Thanksgiving than they've been all year.
A late November return means Pacheco could be activated ahead of either Kansas City's Week 12 clash with the Panthers on Nov. 24 or its Black Friday bout with the Raiders on Nov. 29. Either way, the Chiefs will be happy to have their hard-charging tailback back in the saddle for the stretch run of their three-peat attempt.
