The Chiefs officially promoted veteran running back Kareem Hunt to their active roster.
Kansas City signed the 29-year-old to its practice squad last week after placing starting running back Isiah Pacheco on the injured reserve list with a fractured fibula. Pacheco was initially expected to miss six to eight weeks following surgery, but head coach Andy Reid's most recent update was more bleak than that.
"I can’t give you a time when he’ll return. We'll just see if it's this season or next season," Reid said.
As a result, the Chiefs are testing out a committee of running backs who will try to be the sum of what Pacheco can bring to the table.
Undrafted rookie Carson Steele and veteran pass-catcher Samaje Perine held down Kansas City's backfield in its Week 3 win over the Falcons. Now, Hunt will join that tandem for the Chiefs' Week 4 matchup with the Chargers.
The Sporting News has you covered with an updated look at Kansas City's running back depth chart below.
WEEK 4 FANTASY RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Updated Chiefs RB depth chart
| Starter | Isiah Pacheco (Inj.) |
| Backup | Carson Steele |
| Third-string | Samaje Perine |
| Fourth-string | Kareem Hunt |
| Non-football injured list | Clyde Edwards-Helaire |
Isiah Pacheco
Pacheco emerged as the Chiefs' clear RB1 last year. He rushed for 935 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season then added 313 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs to help Kansas City earn its second consecutive Super Bowl ring.
Pacheco was off to another strong start this season before a fractured fibula landed him on the IR for at least the next eight weeks. He tallied 189 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown in the Chiefs' first two games but will now be sidelined indefinitely.
Carson Steele
Steele is still listed as a fullback on the Chiefs' official depth chart but has stepped into the lead rushing back role with Pacheco out.
The undrafted rookie out of UCLA was as solid as can be in his first career start. He handled the bulk of the backfield work with 17 carries for 72 yards. Steele had two prime opportunities to find the end zone for his first NFL touchdown but was stopped short on the goal line both times.
Expect Steele to remain the Chiefs' No. 1 option in the run game — at least until Hunt gets back into game shape.
MORE: Week 4 NFL Power Rankings | Week 4 NFL picks | Week 4 NFL picks against the spread
Samaje Perine
Perine has been used almost strictly as a pass-catcher since joining the Chiefs just before the start of the season. He had six carries for 25 yards in Week 3 but was a route-runner for the majority of his snaps.
Perine only has five receptions for 28 receiving yards, though, so he hasn't been extremely effective with his touches.
Kareem Hunt
Now that Hunt is on Kansas City's active roster, he can add to both what Steele and Perine bring to the table.
The 29-year-old is familiar with head coach Reid's system, starting his career with the Chiefs in 2017-18. He was a reliable spell-back option for the Browns last year, finishing with 411 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns over 15 games.
Hunt will likely have to be eased into his workload, but he will certainly be a factor in Kansas City's running and passing game once he settles in.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Edwards-Helaire was placed on the non-football injured list with an illness before the start of the season. That guaranteed that he would miss the first four games, but he could return in Week 5.
The Chiefs drafted Edwards-Helaire with their first-round pick in 2020, but his impact hasn't been as big as Kansas City had hoped. He has averaged 38.4 rushing yards per game over four seasons so far but could have another opportunity to step up given the Chiefs' current backfield situation.
