Should You Start Kansas City Chiefs RBs Kareem Hunt or Isiah Pacheco in Fantasy Football Week 13?
Kansas City’s backfield dynamics shifted dramatically during Isiah Pacheco’s month-long absence. Kareem Hunt and Pacheco prepare for a Thanksgiving Day clash with vastly different momentum heading into the contest. Which Chiefs running back belongs in fantasy football lineups for Week 13?
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Kareem Hunt’s Fantasy Outlook
Hunt has dominated backfield touches over the past three weeks with Pacheco sidelined. The committee approach disappeared entirely, as Hunt played 70-80% of the snaps while operating as the unquestioned featured option. His workload reached absurd levels against Indianapolis, carrying the ball 30 times in what represented a career-high for the veteran back.
The efficiency hasn’t been impressive despite the massive volume. Hunt averages just 3.9 yards per carry on the season, underwhelming production that reflects diminished explosiveness at 30 years old. He converted those 30 attempts into 104 yards against the Colts, adding three receptions for 26 yards in the overtime victory.
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Hunt’s most valuable attribute remains his goal-line role. He has scored touchdowns in four consecutive games, giving him seven on the season (plus one receiving). This red-zone prowess provides weekly touchdown upside that stabilizes his fantasy floor despite mediocre yardage totals. Hunt leaped over the line for a one-yard score in the fourth quarter that sparked Kansas City’s comeback.
The short turnaround to Thursday’s game creates uncertainty about his workload sustainability. Hunt just absorbed those 30 carries three days ago, potentially limiting his involvement on a condensed schedule. Kansas City could reduce his touches to avoid overworking a veteran back who faces diminishing returns with excessive usage.
Isiah Pacheco’s Fantasy Outlook
Pacheco returns from his sprained MCL after missing an entire month of action. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed he will play against Dallas on Thanksgiving, marking his first game since suffering the injury in late October. He practiced fully last week but Kansas City opted to rest him rather than bring him back to play two games in five days.
The month-long absence creates questions about his immediate role upon return. Pacheco was consistently out-snapping Hunt before getting hurt, establishing himself as the clear lead option. However, Hunt has played better over these past three weeks than Pacheco performed all season prior to the injury.
His season-long production has been underwhelming when available. Pacheco posted a season-high of just 12.8 fantasy points, exceeding 8.6 points only twice. Both games where he cleared that threshold came when he found the end zone, highlighting his touchdown dependency. He has accumulated 329 rushing yards and one touchdown over eight contests.
Scoring opportunities figure to remain scarce moving forward. Hunt has claimed exclusive access to goal-line work during Pacheco’s absence, making it unlikely the coaching staff removes him from short-yardage situations. Without touchdown chances or passing-game involvement, Pacheco lacks clear paths to fantasy production even if he reclaims early-down work.
Should You Start Hunt or Pacheco This Week?
Dallas presents a favorable matchup for Kansas City’s running backs on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys allow the fifth-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to running, ranking among the league’s more generous defenses.
However, the defensive structure actually favors passing attacks even more than ground games. Dallas allows the most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to both quarterbacks and wide receivers, creating ideal conditions for Patrick Mahomes to break out of his recent funk. He has thrown just one touchdown pass across his last three games, uncharacteristic production for an elite passer.
The game environment presents a classic bounce-back spot for Kansas City’s aerial attack. The Chiefs barely escaped with a victory over Indianapolis and need every win to secure a Wild Card berth. Dallas opened as 3.5-point home underdogs with the total set at 51.5 points, suggesting an offensive shootout. Both teams are riding momentum from remarkable Week 12 comebacks.
Hunt remains a low-end RB2 who will likely need to score to justify his roster spot. His workload faces inevitable reduction with Pacheco returning, though the short week could keep Hunt involved more than expected.
Pacheco belongs on fantasy benches given his uncertain role and lack of goal-line access. Without touchdown upside in his first game back following a month-long absence, he offers minimal path to fantasy relevance this week.
