Kareem Hunt fantasy managers can exhale for now… but understand that change is coming in Kansas City’s backfield before the Christmas lights go up this year. Pacheco was designated to return from IR earlier this week, sending the fantasy community into a tizzy over the plummeting value of their Kareem Hunt shares. However, the understanding has been that Pacheco is still likely to miss another week or two as he ramps up to game speed, and this report echoes that sentiment. As long as Pacheco remains inactive, fantasy managers will be able to treat Hunt as a set-and-forget fantasy RB1. However, all bets are off once Pacheco returns, with the sophomore running back likely to work his way back into a primary role in the Chiefs’ backfield.
In other news: WR Juju Smith Schuster is expected to make his return to action in Week 11 for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 7. Things have changed in the Chiefs’ WR room since the last time we saw JuJu, as DeAndre Hopkins has entered the fray as a legit option in the receiving game alongside Travis Kelce. JuJu likely won’t be the strong WR2 option we projected him to be pre-Hopkins and post-Rashee Rice injury (it was a glorious one-week run, though), but he should have some utility as a flex option in most leagues given WR Xavier Worthy’s struggles to establish himself as a target-earning fantasy WR. As for Hopkins, he likely remains the same upside WR3 play he became upon his arrival in Kansas City three weeks ago.