There are understandable questions about what the Kansas City Chiefs' backfield is going to look like moving forward. Not only is running back Isiah Pacheco slated to return from his knee injury in Week 13, but the Chiefs recently signed former Houston Texans rusher Dameon Pierce to the team's practice squad. Add in disappointing rookie Brashard Smith, and there isn't any level of clarity as to how carries are going to be managed moving forward. This obviously isn't ideal for Pacheco, who is in a contract year and wasn't playing all that well before the injury.
Kansas City appears to currently have a high level of trust in Hunt, who is coming off a 100-yard rushing performance. Head coach Andy Reid commented on this via A to Z Sports' Charles Goldman, offering high praise after Hunt carried the ball 30 times in an overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts.
"I'm proud of (Hunt). He's upright, which is a positive thing. He feels good. It just shows you what he's put into it. At that age and that position, guys don't normally hang around that long and be productive. He wanted more, and that's a good thing."Andy Reid, Chiefs HC
This sounds like a head coach who has trust in his veteran and could continue to rely on him, demoting Pacheco to a secondary role. It might be the only option that the Chiefs have after failing to make an RB-related trade deadline splash earlier this month. At the same time, it makes it clear that Kansas City's backfield could belong to anyone on any given week.
Chiefs Back Isiah Pacheco Could Lose Starting Job After Returning from Injury
Understandably, there is a level of fan sentiment that would prefer to keep Hunt in the starting role. Even if he doesn't have the big-play ability that other options might bring, there is a far more consistent level of production. Keeping Hunt as the starter makes sense and would line up with Reid's comments, especially if the Chiefs aren't confident that Pacheco can get back to being his old self.
Add in the question of what chances Pierce will be given, and it is obvious that Pacheco is going to have to fight for his job. With every game mattering for Kansas City in the season's final weeks, any member of the RB room cannot afford to waste carries. If Pacheco is going to retain his job, there is going to need to be a far higher level of production and consistency that hasn't been a part of his game over the last two seasons.
With this in mind, how the Chiefs opt to manage the backfield in Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys will be telling. It will likely point out how much patience Kansas City has left in Pacheco and decide whether or not Hunt will be keeping the starting job. That's something that Pacheco must carefully weigh, understanding that he simply cannot afford to return without understanding the pressure he is now under with the Chiefs having other options in the backfield.