The Chiefs have officially promoted veteran guard Kareem Hunt to their active roster.
Kansas City signed the 29-year-old to its practice squad last week after placing running back Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve with a fractured fibula. Pacheco was initially expected to miss six to eight weeks after surgery, but head coach Andy Reid’s latest update was more dire than that.
“I can’t give you a return date. We’ll just see if it’s this season or next season,” Reid said.
As a result, the Chiefs are testing a running backs committee that will try to be the sum of what Pacheco can bring to the table.
Undrafted rookie Carson Steele and veteran receiver Samaje Perine held down Kansas City’s backfield in Week 3’s win over the Falcons. Now Hunt will join that tandem for the Chiefs’ Week 4 game against the Chargers.
THE Jugo Mobile brings you an updated look at the Kansas City running backs depth chart below.
WEEK 4 FANTASY RANKINGS:
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | Kickers
Chiefs RB depth chart updated
| Starter | Isiah Pacheco (Inj.) |
| Backup | Carson Steele |
| Third string | Samaje Perine |
| Fourth string | Kareem Hunt |
| List of non-football injuries | Clyde Edwards-Helaire |
Isiah Pacheco
Pacheco emerged as the Chiefs’ unquestioned RB1 last year. He rushed for 935 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season, then added 313 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs to help Kansas City win its second straight Super Bowl ring.
Pacheco had a solid start to the season before a fractured fibula put him on injured reserve for at least the next eight weeks. He had 189 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs’ first two games, but he’s now sidelined indefinitely.
Carson Steele
Steele is still listed as a fullback on the Chiefs’ official roster, but he has taken over the role of primary fullback due to Pacheco’s absence.
The undrafted rookie out of UCLA was as solid as they come in his first career start. He did most of the work on the ground with 17 carries for 72 yards. Steele had two great opportunities to find the end zone for his first NFL touchdown, but was stopped at the goal line both times.
Expect Steele to remain the Chiefs’ No. 1 option in the running game — at least until Hunt returns to form.
Samaje Perine
Perine has been used almost exclusively as a wide receiver since joining the Chiefs just before the season began. He had six carries for 25 yards in Week 3 but has been a route runner for the majority of his snaps.
Perine only has five receptions for 28 receiving yards, though, so he hasn’t been extremely efficient with his touches.
Kareem Hunt
Now that Hunt is on Kansas City’s active roster, he can add to what Steele and Perine bring to the table.
The 29-year-old is familiar with head coach Reid’s system, having started his career with the Chiefs in 2017-18. He was a reliable option for the Browns last year, finishing with 411 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns in 15 games.
Hunt will likely have to get used to his workload, but he will certainly be a factor in Kansas City’s running and passing game once he settles in.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Edwards-Helaire was placed on non-football injured reserve due to an illness before the season began. That ensured he would miss the first four games, but he could return in Week 5.
The Chiefs selected Edwards-Helaire with their first-round pick in 2020, but his impact hasn’t been as great as Kansas City hoped. He’s averaged 38.4 rushing yards per game over four seasons so far, but could get another opportunity to improve given the Chiefs’ current backfield situation.
