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The Kansas City Chiefs are making a change ahead of today’s matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Chiefs rookie RB Isiah Pacheco is expected to be starting today’s game over veteran RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Rapoport tweeted about the change early Sunday morning. The Chiefs’ rookie running back was spotted taking the first-team snaps with the offense during practice this week, which isn’t too uncommon. He has usually factored into the running game in relief of Edwards-Helaire, but the lack of success on the ground game in two consecutive weeks seems to have prompted a change.
A backfield change: The #Chiefs gave rookie RB Isiah Pacheco first-team reps this week and he’s expected to start.
My story: https://t.co/Bggg5zdTD3
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 23, 2022
Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy indicated early last week that he expects to ride the hot hand at running back throughout the season.
“We also know (that) next week or this particular week, it could be Clyde (Edwards-Helaire), (Isiah) Pacheco, it could be (Michael) Burt(on), it could be Pat (Mahomes) making plays with his legs,” said Bieniemy. “It could be Mecole (Hardman), so next man up.”
Bieniemy also noted that the team has left a lot of rushing yards on the field this season.
Pacheco was a seventh-round draft pick of the Chiefs in the 2022 NFL draft out of Rutgers, showing promise throughout offseason workouts and preseason. He is averaging 4.8 yards per rush this season, slightly above the 4.3 from Edwards-Helaire entering Week 7. Rapoport reports that Edwards-Helaire will still have a prominent role on offense despite the change in starter against the 49ers this week.
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