Isiah Pacheco DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Updating a previous report, Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (back) underwent surgery to remove a body that was pressing on a nerve in his back, a source told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Pacheco is facing a 12-week recovery, with a chance that he is back from Injured Reserve by early December. The former Kansas City Chiefs RB was dealing with an MCL injury late in training camp before injuring his back while training. There is not much incentive for fantasy managers to hold Pacheco now in an IR spot in redraft leagues. The 27-year-old had 1,765 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 375 carries in his first two seasons with the Chiefs, adding 57 catches for 374 yards and another two TDs as a receiver. But since the start of the 2024 season, Pacheco has dealt with injuries, limiting him to 20 games in his final two years in KC. With Pacheco now out until the final month of the regular season, the Lions could look to add RB depth behind bell-cow back Jahmyr Gibbs. Sione Vaki operated as Detroit's RB2 in Sunday's Week 1 season-opening win over the New Orleans Saints in overtime, but he handled only two rushing attempts for seven yards and caught one pass for 11 yards.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that running back Isiah Pacheco (back) underwent back surgery and that he is going to be out "a significant amount of time," according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. The Lions said last week that they did not have a clear timetable for Pacheco's return after he was placed on Injured Reserve to begin the 2026 season. The 27-year-old will have to miss at least the first four games of the year, but Campbell's statement on Monday means that Pacheco will likely be out for much longer. In the Lions' 31-30 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in the Week 1 season opener, Sione Vaki served as the RB2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs and rushed only two times for seven yards, adding a catch on his only target for a gain of 11 yards. In addition to Vaki, Jacob Saylors will provide the Lions with RB depth behind Gibbs for as long Pacheco is sidelined. Pacheco's case for an IR stash is not very strong after two straight injury-plagued seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Lions in free agency back in March. He is now rostered in only 20% of Yahoo leagues.

Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (knee/back) will enter the 2026 season on injured reserve. After a sprained MCL in early August, Pacheco dealt with a back injury that head coach Dan Campbell said was more concerning than the knee. With the former Chiefs' back set to miss at least the first four games of the season, fantasy managers in 10- or 12-team leagues should consider dropping him. He had 118 carries for 462 yards and one touchdown last season, averaging six half-PPR fantasy points per game. Once healthy, Pacheco will compete for a backup role behind star running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Even if he suffers an injury, a committee with Sione Vaki or Jacob Saylors, or a free-agency move by the Lions, would be considered as well. There are more high-upside running backs on the waiver wire, and the injuries have set him back.