RB · DET · GWTTKB

Isiah Pacheco — fantasy football 2026

Every game, every stat category, and what the board says. 6.72 points per game in 2025, an ADP of 152, usage worth 8.9.

27 years old · 4 seasons of experience · 2022 draft class

Updated 2026-08-16 · free, no account, no paywall
Every figure below comes from our database. Where a stat is not held, the row is absent rather than zero.
ADP 152
Consensus across 4 books, standard deviation 27, 60.7 picks between cheapest and priciest. Cheapest on sleeper, priciest on yahoo.
SLEEPER187.4
ESPN158
YAHOO126.7
UNDERDOG160.7
CBS136
FFA169

Draft-room facts

Goes aroundRound 13, pick 8 in a 12-team draft
Positional rankRB49
Bye week6
ADP standard deviation27 picks

What we project for 2026

Our board has him at 91.9 points, 5.7 per game — 342 rushing yards, 4.3 rushing TDs, 15.2 catches. That is RB6, 167 overall.

The range runs from a floor of 2.2 points per game to a ceiling of 10.7, with the median at 5.7. Boom rate 88%, bust rate 61%. The spread is the actual bet, not the middle number.

He goes at 152 on consensus and our board has him 167. We rank him 15 picks worse than the room drafts him. At that distance it is a fade: we do not want him anywhere near his ADP.

Our written view

Lions backfield scored the most combined RB fantasy points/gm in the NFL last year; even a partial (~30%) share of an elite-scoring committee compares favorably to a bigger share of a mediocre one; Dan Campbell loves his physical running style

buy · medium conviction · 2026-08

The offense he plays in, 2026

Detroit Lions returns 5 of 6 continuity slots, replacing oc. Jared Goff at quarterback, Dan Campbell as head coach, Drew Petzing calling it. The offense projects to 33.9 pass attempts a game at medium confidence and 26.2 rushes.

In: Kendrick Law (wr4), Greg Dortch (wr5), Jackson Meeks (wr7), Isiah Pacheco (rb2). Out: Khalif Raymond (wr3), David Montgomery (rb2), Craig Reynolds (rb3).

The projected carry split across the offense:

Jahmyr Gibbs60.2%
Isiah Pacheco 33.2%
Sione Vaki4.8%
Jacob Saylors1.8%

Our written view on this offense in 2026

Key additions: Lions have a new OC in Drew Petzing (coming over from Arizona after the entire coaching staff was let go). Petzing is an interesting hire & did not have success in Arizona. But no doubt this offense can succeed at a high rate under him. Drafted WR Kendrick Law in the 5th round. Signed RB Isiah Pacheco from Chiefs in free agency. Signed C Cade Mays from panthers to 3 year deal. Traded for additional O line man Juice Scruggs in David Montgomery trade. Added TE Tyler Conklin behind TE Sam LaPorta

Key departures: WR Kalif Raymond left to join Ben Johnson with the Bears. Lost T Taylor Decker & G Graham Glasgow. RB David Montgomery was also traded to the Texans.

Notes: Gibbs + Williams + ARSB all dynasty assets. David Montgomery was traded to the Houston Texans & opens the opportunity for Gibbs to be completely featured in this offense. If he can stay healthy, he may be the RB1 in fantasy for years to come. Lions brought in Isiah Pacheco as RB2 from the Chiefs on a 1 year deal. He is not expected to play very much, but could be relevant with Gibbs injury. Khalif Raymond heads to Chicago Bears & Kendrick Law COULD emerge as a solid WR4 or WR3 in the long run. Isaac TeSlaa holds significant value if St Brown or Williams were injured. Williams & St Brown are both excellent assets. Goff remains a interesting aging QB that is a low end QB1 in fantasy with a VERY high weekly ceiling but no mobility upside. A key potential bit to keep an eye on is the status of Sam LaPorta follwing his season ending back injury in 2025. He needs to get back to 100% and prove it before we completely trust him. Tough injury for a TE or any football player.

How the volume number was reached: Same QB Jared Goff returning — anchor to 2025 actuals (34.1 att/g); Regressed 42% toward league mean 33.5, floored at 30 → 33.9 att/g; New OC Drew Petzing — pass rate and tempo may shift.

How the carry projection was built

Projected carry share33.2%
Projected carries per game7.1
Projected carries, full season121
Last season, carries per game9.1

That is a reduction of 2 carries a game against last season, inside a team projection of 26.2 rushing attempts a game.

Basis: prior usage blend. Carry share is the strongest forward predictor we have measured at the position, so this number carries more weight than any efficiency figure on this page.

Offensive environment: DET rates 26.2 against a league average of 23, 3.2 points above it on opponent-adjusted least squares (multi-capture merge).

2026 schedule

Opponent-adjusted run defense faced, against 2025 ratings. Positive is an easier slate.

Full season+2.5 · easier
Weeks 1–6+12 · easier
Weeks 12–17-1 · neutral
Fantasy playoffs (15–17)+0.8 · neutral

Read this narrowly. Our own testing found that season-long strength of schedule does not survive as a draft input — defensive quality is among the least stable team properties year to year, and a preseason slate is built on last year's identities. The playoff-weeks column is the only one we would let break a tie, and even then it is a tiebreaker rather than a reason. The finding.

What happened when he missed time

From the absence record rather than a depth chart — who actually gained when he was out.

SeasonGames missedMain beneficiaryTheir PPR gain
20232Clyde Edwards-Helaire+11.2
20253Kareem Hunt+8.1
20243Carson Steele+2.7
Read the full Isiah Pacheco study →

Dynasty context not redraft

Everything in this section is about his dynasty trade value — what he is worth as a long-term asset in the trade market. It is not a forecast of his 2026 fantasy scoring. A player can be a fine redraft pick while his dynasty value falls, and the reverse. The redraft read is above; this is a different question with a different answer.

Where he sits in the dynasty value cycle

His dynasty value has moved -30.6% over the last twelve months. The market cycle classifies him as post-crash. The base rate that applies: after a -25% crash, RBs recover only 15% of the time (keep falling 85%).

For context on how long this lasts at the position: the average career at his position produces 1.7 elite seasons and 2.4 startable seasons.

The five most similar seasons, and what their dynasty value did next

Matched on production profile — production-driven (pedigree ignored). The last column is how that player’s dynasty value moved the following year — a market outcome, not a scoring one.

PlayerSeasonTheir PPGSimilarityNext year
Khalil Herbert20239.466%-24.4%
Boston Scott2021958%-3.9%
James Robinson20228.156%-49.6%
Jerome Ford20249.656%-32.9%
Khalil Herbert20229.156%+4%

Of the 5 with a following season on record, 1 gained value, 4 lost it and 0 held roughly flat.

Four years of dynasty value

02,0004,0006,0002023202420252026
Monthly superflex value, 2022-03 to 2026-07. From 0 to 2,257, peaking at 5,187.

The player

Draft capital and athletic profile

Drafted2022, round 7, pick 251 by KAN
CollegeRutgers
Age at draft23
Height5′10″
Weight216 lb
40-yard dash4.37s
Vertical33″
Broad jump118″

Availability and volatility

Career PPR per game10.1
Week-to-week variation0.7
Boom rate25.6%
Bust rate20.5%
Games missed per season2
Injury historyShoulder, Ankle, Rib, Knee
Correlation between his posted line and his actual score0.56

That correlation is how closely the books’ posted line tracked what he actually scored, week to week. A higher number means the market has him figured out and there is less to exploit; a lower one means his weeks are harder to price.

Injury type matters more than games missed. Measured across our injury database, knee and foot returns stay below a player’s pre-injury baseline for all three of the first games back, while hamstring returns over-recover by the third.

The record, season by season

2025 · KC · 13 games

His best game was Week 16 against TEN — 13.5 PPR on 15 touches and a 31.8% target share, in a game that finished 9-26. His worst was Week 15 against LAC at 2.1, on 11 touches, final score 13-16. Across 13 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 9 times. In the 6 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 4.6; in the 7 decided by more, 8.5. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 8.9 points per game. He scored 6.72, 24.5% below it. The engine classified the season as unlucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1LAC21-274.823352507.9%51%
2PHI17-203.9127102206.9%58%
3NYG22-95.8113104502.9%56%
4BAL37-2012.8231373518.6%37%
5JAX28-318.6332073607.5%62%
6DET30-176.11301251010.7%77%
7LV31-012.412-3155715.9%56%
8WAS28-75.8000125800%58%
13DAL28-315.3221731606.3%30%
14HOU10-20300093000%33%
15LAC13-162.1000112100%46%
16TEN9-2613.56741834031.8%73%
17DEN13-203.200093200%35%

Production

Receptions19
Targets26
Receiving yards101
Carries118
Rushing yards462
Touchdowns2
Points per game6.72
Yards per target3.88
Catch rate73.08%
Yards per carry3.92

Role

Snap share51.69%
Target share6.81%
Air-yards share-0.61%
WOPR0.097
RACR2.525

Efficiency

Average depth of target-1
Yards after catch per reception6.4
Yards before catch per reception-1.1
Total YAC121
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted92
Rushing yards over expected0
Receiving EPA per game-0.36
Rushing EPA per game-1.05

Scoring position

Red-zone targets4
Red-zone target share5.1%
End-zone target share0%
Red-zone carry share22.7%
Expected receiving TDs1.1
Actual receiving TDs1
Receiving TD luck-0.1
Expected rushing TDs1.54

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 100+ carries pool that season:

Points per game46 of 49
Yards per target44 of 49
Target share34 of 49
Air-yards share24 of 49

Who else ate

The offense threw it 584 times. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

Travis Kelce19.71%
Rashee Rice14.23%
Marquise Brown13.5%
Xavier Worthy13.32%
JuJu Smith-Schuster8.21%
Noah Gray6.75%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Patrick Mahomes11196.423.165.15%
Chris Oladokun278.355.8615.9%

Blowouts against close games

4 of his 13 games were blowouts, 51% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 11.13 in those and 4.65 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2024 · KC · 7 games

His best game was Week 2 against CIN — 16.1 PPR on 24 touches and a 21.7% target share, in a game that finished 26-25. His worst was Week 17 against PIT at 1.8, on 6 touches, final score 29-10. Across 7 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 4 times.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 9.4 points per game. He scored 8.13, 30.8% below it. The engine classified the season as very_unlucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1BAL27-2015.823331545111.1%80%
2CIN26-2516.155211990021.7%66%
13LV19-175.911574402.2%37%
14LAC19-178.12461455011.1%46%
15CLE21-75.71115133202.6%37%
16HOU27-193.512-192604.9%35%
17PIT29-101.800061800%32%

Production

Receptions12
Targets16
Receiving yards79
Carries83
Rushing yards310
Touchdowns1
Points per game8.13
Yards per target4.94
Catch rate75%
Yards per carry3.73

Role

Snap share47.57%
Target share7.66%
Air-yards share-2.81%
WOPR0.094
RACR2.754

Efficiency

Average depth of target-1.4
Yards after catch per reception9.9
Yards before catch per reception-3.3
Total YAC119
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted85.2
Rushing yards over expected0
Receiving EPA per game-0.26
Rushing EPA per game-1.95

Scoring position

Red-zone targets2
Red-zone target share1.7%
End-zone target share0%
Red-zone carry share13.8%
Goal-line carry share12.9%
Expected receiving TDs0.62
Actual receiving TDs0
Receiving TD luck-0.62
Expected rushing TDs2.34

Who else ate

The offense threw it 600 times. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Travis Kelce23.37%
Xavier Worthy17.22%
DeAndre Hopkins10.37%
Noah Gray8.61%
Samaje Perine6.15%
Kareem Hunt5.62%

Blowouts against close games

1 of his 7 games were blowouts, 3.2% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 1.8 in those and 9.88 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2023 · KC · 14 games

His best game was Week 17 against CIN — 29.5 PPR on 25 touches and a 25% target share, in a game that finished 25-17. His worst was Week 9 against MIA at 6.6, on 17 touches, final score 21-14. Across 14 games he cleared 20 points 4 times and came in under 8 points 2 times. In the 9 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 14.9; in the 5 decided by more, 16. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 14.5 points per game. He scored 15.28, 6.8% above it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1DET20-219.44431823010.8%48%
2JAX17-98120127005%51%
3CHI41-1015.82316156218.1%42%
4NYJ23-2024.8334320115110.3%60%
5MIN27-2013.4119165512.6%59%
6DEN19-815.866361662015.4%63%
7LAC31-171644281332110%53%
8DEN9-246.734-3840010.8%54%
9MIA21-146.6010166603.6%68%
11PHI17-2110.1112198902.6%61%
12LV31-1725.955341555215.6%78%
13GB19-2721.3341318110113.3%70%
16LV14-2010.6440112619.8%57%
17CIN25-1729.5773518130125%93%

Production

Receptions44
Targets49
Receiving yards244
Carries205
Rushing yards935
Touchdowns9
Points per game15.28
Yards per target4.98
Catch rate89.8%
Yards per carry4.56

Role

Snap share61.21%
Target share10.21%
Air-yards share-3.78%
WOPR0.126
RACR-0.667

Efficiency

Average depth of target-2.3
Yards after catch per reception8.2
Yards before catch per reception-2.6
Total YAC359
Broken tackles4
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted101
Rushing yards over expected0
Receiving EPA per game0.13
Rushing EPA per game-0.34

Scoring position

Red-zone targets11
Red-zone target share9.7%
End-zone target share3%
Red-zone carry share68.9%
Goal-line carry share77.8%
Expected receiving TDs2.58
Actual receiving TDs2
Receiving TD luck-0.58
Expected rushing TDs9.43

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 100+ carries pool that season:

Points per game14 of 49
Yards per target32 of 49
Target share22 of 49
Air-yards share49 of 49

Who else ate

The offense threw it 634 times. He took 8.19% of the targets. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Travis Kelce20.23%
Rashee Rice17.06%
Justin Watson8.86%
Isiah Pacheco 8.19%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling7.02%
Noah Gray6.86%

Blowouts against close games

1 of his 14 games were blowouts, 7.4% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 15.8 in those and 14.86 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2022 · KC · 17 games

His best game was Week 13 against CIN — 16.2 PPR on 16 touches and a 8.7% target share, in a game that finished 24-27. His worst was Week 5 against LV at 0, on 1 touches, final score 30-29. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 8 times. In the 10 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 6.8; in the 7 decided by more, 9.6. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 8.1 points per game. He scored 7.94, 7.6% above it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1ARI44-2112.2000126210%23%
2LAC27-240.60002600%9%
3IND17-200.90003900%8%
4TB41-316.3000116300%21%
5LV30-2900001000%3%
6BUF20-243.82292905.7%15%
7SF44-234.300084300%30%
9TEN20-171.91145501.6%22%
10JAX27-176.2000168200%56%
11LAC30-2710.70001510700%40%
12LA26-1015.61117226912.7%51%
13CIN24-2716.22216146618.7%45%
14DEN34-2812.33323137007.1%43%
15HOU30-248.71111158602.4%35%
16SEA24-10101232145807.4%49%
17DEN27-2412.9221893114.9%45%
18LV31-1312.400086410%36%

Production

Receptions13
Targets14
Receiving yards130
Carries170
Rushing yards830
Touchdowns5
Points per game7.94
Yards per target9.29
Catch rate92.86%
Yards per carry4.88

Role

Snap share31.24%
Target share2.38%
Air-yards share-0.12%
WOPR0.036
RACR0.175

Efficiency

Average depth of target-0.6
Yards after catch per reception12.1
Yards before catch per reception-2.1
Total YAC157
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted105.4
Rushing yards over expected0
Receiving EPA per game0.31
Rushing EPA per game-0.23

Scoring position

Red-zone targets1
Red-zone target share0.8%
End-zone target share0%
Red-zone carry share38.4%
Goal-line carry share41.9%
Expected receiving TDs0.13
Actual receiving TDs0
Receiving TD luck-0.13
Expected rushing TDs7.64

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 100+ carries pool that season:

Points per game40 of 42
Yards per target2 of 42
Target share41 of 42
Air-yards share22 of 42

Who else ate

The offense threw it 650 times. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

Travis Kelce24.92%
JuJu Smith-Schuster16.56%
Marquez Valdes-Scantling13.28%
Jerick McKinnon11.64%
Justin Watson5.57%
Mecole Hardman5.57%

Blowouts against close games

3 of his 17 games were blowouts, 21.4% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 9.63 in those and 6.8 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

Ask the Coach about Isiah Pacheco →
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