Fantasy Insider Report: Is Isiah Pacheco the Chiefs’ RB1?

Plus, which of Kansas City’s wide receivers will step up in 2023?

The Athlon Sports 2023 Fantasy Football Annual magazine reached out to team insiders at all 32 NFL clubs to ask them three key fantasy questions heading into the season. As we count down to training camp, Sports Illustrated will publish their answers here. Today’s team: Kansas City Chiefs 

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Do you expect Isiah Pacheco to emerge as the workhorse back for Kansas City?
By last season’s end, Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon were playing roughly equal snaps — a trend that seems likely to continue in 2023. Pacheco will continue to see early-down reps, with McKinnon featured more heavily in pass sets, given his receiving and pass-protection prowess.

• 2023 Season Outlook: Kansas City Chiefs

Who will emerge as the leading WR for the Chiefs?|
Go ahead and book Marquez Valdes-Scantling for around 40 receptions and 650 yards with a handful of touchdowns. Skyy Moore also will take on a bigger role with the departures of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman via free agency. Second-round pick Rashee Rice could have some big games and surprising touchdown production. A strong contender? Kadarius Toney — with the caveat that he must stay healthy. Toney could emerge as Patrick Mahomes’s favorite and most productive WR target with a full offseason to absorb Andy Reid’s offense.

At 33, will Travis Kelce produces his eighth straight 1,000-yard season?
Kelce’s production tends to dip slightly in odd-numbered years after otherworldly even-numbered years — like his 110-catch, 1,338-yard, 12-touchdown 2022 season. But Kelce, who turns 34 in October, has aged like fine wine and still has enough tread on the tires to crank out another 1,000-yard season. The Chiefs know that Kelce, who has been remarkably durable since a knee injury cost him his rookie season, needs to manage his reps to protect his body. They also know how critical the future Hall of Famer is to the offense, so for now he shows no signs of slowing — and Kansas City will be careful to keep it that way.

—Tod Palmer, KSHB-TV

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