The refs can’t help the Chiefs on this one.
Kansas City will be without starting running back Isiah Pacheco for the foreseeable future after he suffered a fractured fibula in Sunday’s 26-25 win over the Bengals, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
Rapoport estimated that the injury will sideline the bruising back for at least four weeks and as many as eight weeks, pending further testing.
With that timeline, it is likely that Pacheco gets placed on injured reserve.
“This was kind of the fear as he was leaving the stadium,” Rapoport said Monday morning. “He was in a walking boot and on crutches. Any time they have to look at the bone that’s not good. He’s going to have more tests today to see if there is associated damage … if there is damage to the ligaments.”
Pacheco suffered the injury on the Chiefs’ final drive where he appeared to get bent backwards on a one-yard run up the middle.
The Chiefs have veteran Samaje Perine and undrafted rookie Carson Steele on the depth chart behind Pacheco.
Perine has mostly been used as a third-down, pass-catching back, while Steele — out of UCLA — has nine career carries for 27 yards.
Rapoport mentioned the possibility of signing Jerick McKinnon, who has played with the team the past three seasons, and is currently a free agent.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire was expected to be Pacheco’s backup but he was placed on the non-football illness list on Sept. 2 as he deals with PTSD.
Edwards-Helaire is out at least the next two games.
“Sometimes I’m admitted into the hospital, something I can’t stop throwing up and it’s just, I [don’t] know [anything] pretty much to stop it,” Edwards-Helaire said of the PTSD he’s battling. “Real bad dehydration … but it’s really just mentally just not being there.”
Kansas City also placed receiver Marquise Brown on IR last week as he undergoes shoulder surgery.
The two-time defending champs take on the Falcons on Sunday night as they go for a 3-0 start.
