With the postseason in sight, the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions are getting healthier.
Running back Isiah Pacheco was activated off injured reserve on Thursday and is poised to play on Black Friday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Pacheco's been on the shelf since breaking his fibula in a Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He was designated to return on Nov. 17 and now, as he's been a full participant during practices and removed from the team's injury report, he's set to hit the ground running.
The 25-year-old has the distinction of having won a Super Bowl in each season he's played, surprisingly becoming a major factor for the Chiefs as a seventh-round rookie in 2022 with 830 rushing yards and five rushing scores. In 2023, Pacheco bettered his production despite playing in three fewer games, gaining 935 yards and scoring seven TDs.
In Pacheco's absence, the Chiefs brought back Kareem Hunt, who's turned into a workhorse for the squad. In eight games, Hunt has emerged as the team-high rusher with 577 yards on 155 attempts (3.7 years per carry) with five rushing touchdowns, which are tops on the team overall.
Just how head coach Andy Reid balances the reps will be something to monitor, though it would be unsurprising for Pacheco to see a lighter load as he gets back to game shape and perhaps ramps up for the stretch.
Over his first two games of the season, Pacheco tallied 34 carries for 135 yards and a TD.
Though it remains to be seen how quickly Pacheco returns to form, his impending return to the lineup is a boon for the Chiefs as the games get bigger and bigger by the week.
