The Kansas City Chiefs' rushing attack has been a major talking point all season. Patrick Mahomes continues to lead the team in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns after six weeks. Neither Isiah Pacheco nor Kareem Hunt has been particularly inspiring, and the Chiefs haven't unleashed rookie Brashard Smith to the fullest so far. As a result, there have been calls about some changes to the RB room.
While many fans are hoping that those changes come in the form of a trade or a free agent signing, the Chiefs could also make internal moves to shuffle things around. After Wednesday's practice, this change could come in the form of Elijah Mitchell finally getting an opportunity.
Elijah Mitchell May Finally Have a Shot Ahead of Week 7
Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star reported on Wednesday that Brashard Smith missed practice due to an illness, according to head coach Andy Reid. While we don't know the extent of Smith's illness or how much longer it will keep him out, it could present an opportunity for Mitchell, who has been inactive all year.
Mitchell signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs in the offseason after spending the entire 2024 season on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He made the 53-man roster but was never activated in the first six weeks of the season. To inject some life into the run game, giving the former 49ers back a look could be worth a try.
Smith could very well return tomorrow and be 100% ahead of Sunday's clash against the Raiders. For a player like Mitchell, who is not a part of the rotation, every minor absence or injury is an important opportunity. If this tiny window of opportunity with Smith sidelined means that Mitchell gets activated and gets a few touches, he will have to make the most of it. Whether he has the juice to get that done, however, remains to be seen.
The last time we saw Mitchell in action in the NFL was against Kansas City in Super Bowl LVIII when he carried the ball twice for eight yards. At that point, after a promising start, his career was already in a downturn. His impressive rookie campaign in 2021, where he ran for 963 yards and five touchdowns in only 11 games, now feels like a distant memory. Nobody is expecting him to go back to those days, but one understandably has to wonder whether he has something to give to this anemic run game.