Chiefs Running Back Fantasy Football Outlook: Isiah Pacheco vs. Jerick McKinnon vs. Clyde Edwards-Helaire
The Kansas City Chiefs' offense has produced plenty of fantasy stars over the past several seasons. Any offensive skill player surrounding Patrick Mahomes is one to keep an eye on, and this makes them hard to pass up when you're on the clock.
The passing game is always at the forefront of the Kansas City offense, but several running backs have also thrived in recent memory. Heading into the 2023 season, the team has a trio of running backs on the fantasy radar. There's Isiah Pacheco, the team's starting back, who really made a name for himself during the latter half of his 2022 rookie season. Jerick McKinnon finished second on the team in carries during the regular season and was a big threat as a pass catcher. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was third on the team in carries but still managed 400+ total yards and six touchdowns.
Our ADP tool has Pacheco ranked 25th among RBs, McKinnon 48th, and Edwards-Helaire 60th. Are any of the three backs worth one of your picks? Let's discuss.
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Isiah Pacheco Fantasy Football Outlook
Pacheco is just another example of why NFL teams don't want to pay running backs top dollar. Pacheco was a seventh-round draft pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, yet became the top option on one of the best offenses in the league.
Pacheco tallied 830 rushing yards in his rookie campaign despite only starting 11 contests. He also led the Chiefs with five rushing touchdowns. After recording double-digit carries in just two of the team's eight games, he then carried the rock 13 or more times in seven straight games. Pacheco had 10 or more carries in all three of the Chiefs' postseason games.
He was only targeted 14 times as a receiver, but hauled in 13 of those for an additional 130 yards. I'd expect the team to try and get him more involved in the passing game like they did when he hauled in five receptions for 59 yards in the AFC Championship Game against the Bengals.
Pacheco also offers some value as a returner, averaging 20.6 yards on 29 kickoffs as a rookie.
It's fair to assume the Chiefs will once again be a high-flying offense in 2023, and the starting running back for the team is always one to target, even if it's a pass-first team. Pacheco is also likely to see his production increase as the team has had an entire offseason to think up ways to get him more involved.
Jerick McKinnon Fantasy Football Outlook
McKinnon re-signed with Kansas City after producing the second-most scrimmage yards of his seven-year career in 2022. He did most of his damage as a receiving threat, catching 56 passes for 512 yards. His nine touchdown receptions were good enough for second on the team, trailing only Travis Kelce.
McKinnon should again be in line for some big numbers in the passing game as the team's receiving corps outside of Kelce is searching for consistency.
Like Pacheco, McKinnon also excelled down the stretch of 2022, with all but one of his scores coming in a five-game stretch between December and January. The offseason gave the Chiefs plenty of time to think up more ways to get the ball in his hands and keep piling up the points.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Fantasy Football Outlook
Edwards-Helaire was looked to as the next big star of the Chiefs' offense when he was drafted with the last pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. His career got off to a promising start when he rushed for 803 yards and four scores as a rookie, but his production has tapered off in the two seasons since.
Edwards-Helaire has just 819 rushing yards and seven scores over the last two seasons. He's played in just 10 games each season and missed the final seven games of the 2022 season with an ankle injury. Before that though, he carried the ball 10 or more times in just one game and failed to top 50 rushing yards in all but two games.
The Chiefs decided to decline the fifth-year option for Edwards-Helaire, likely meaning this season is his last in Kansas City. Edwards-Helaire is a good resource for a young back like Pacheco as the season starts up, but his opportunity for touches behind the top two backs might be limited.
Who Should You Draft?
As the 2023 season begins and the Chiefs begin their quest to try and repeat as the champions, Pacheco is the team's top option as a ball carrier. He's being drafted around the sixth round, and he should produce well enough to warrant a pick from you in that situation. A full season's workload could bump Pacheco way up the fantasy running back ranks and make him one of the steals of the draft.
McKinnon is going around the ninth round, and while he doesn't offer up a ton of potential in the running game, his work as a pass catcher certainly should draw your interest. It's fair to assume he might not be able to match his nine scores as a receiver from last year, but he should rack up plenty of catches and be involved plenty to earn a spot on your team.
Edwards-Helaire looks to be on the outside of things barring an injury to Pacheco or McKinnon. He is going in the 16th round, but I would avoid taking him unless you are in a deep league. He would certainly be worth a pickup if Pacheco were to struggle early on or get banged up.
Overall, any time you are talking about Chiefs' skill players, there should be a bit of interest in drafting them. Pacheco and McKinnon are the guys you should target, but I would probably avoid taking both of them in the same draft. Edwards-Helaire should be avoided in drafts but monitored on the waiver wire as the season progresses.
