Lions' RB Isiah Pacheco: Can 19th Ranked Player Provide Jolt Behind Gibbs?

The Detroit Lions shook up their running back room this offseason.

With Jahmyr Gibbs ascending to become one of the NFL's most electric running backs, the team made the decision to move on from backup David Montgomery. They traded Montgomery to the Houston Texans, then signed a replacement in former Kansas City Chief Isiah Pacheco.

In Pacheco, the Lions are getting an intriguing complementary piece for their backfield. A physical, tough runner, Pacheco has the ability to be exactly what the Lions need behind the ascending star Gibbs.

Detroit has always believed in having two solid running backs ever since the Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell era began, and now Pacheco gets his opportunity to join that mix. He could wind up making a big impact, which is why he lands as the 19th most important Lion of the 2026 season.

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Why Pacheco is so important

The Lions have employed a two running back system for the duration of Campbell's tenure as head coach. This has been beneficial for the offense in multiple ways, including having backs with different styles offering a change of pace at times, while also limiting the amount of hits each back takes over the course of a season.

In previous years, the tandem has comprised of Gibbs and Montgomery, and the duo came to be known as 'Sonic and Knuckles' for how well their styles contrasted one another. However, Montgomery had some bouts of inefficiency and was relegated to a smaller role late in the year.

As a result, the Lions are hoping to have Pacheco step in and fill the void. Gibbs will be the bell cow, as Campbell stated last week, but Pacheco needs to be someone the Lions can count on to take the workload off of Gibbs at times.

If Pacheco can't be that option, that opens up Gibbs to more hits and more carries, which could be detrimental to him.

Pacheco's strengths and weaknesses

It's apparent that Pacheco's physical running style will be an ideal fit next to Gibbs' elusiveness. The Rutgers product has been efficient throughout his career, averaging 4.4 yards per carry in his career.

In his first two seasons, Pacheco quickly emerged as a reliable option for the Chiefs during their back-to-back Super Bowl championships. As a rookie, he notched 830 rushing yards, then followed that up with 935 yards in his second.

Injuries caught up to Pacheco in his third NFL season, as he was limited to just seven games. Last year, his fourth season, he appeared in 13 games making 12 starts and totaled 462 yards.

It will be intriguing to see just how much work Pacheco gets early in the year. His powerful running style lends itself to usage in short-yardage situations, and he does have some breakaway speed that could generate big plays.

Pacheco hasn't been much of a receiving threat in his career, with 44 of his 88 career receptions coming in one season. However, this could be an element of his game that the Lions' explore more of under first-year offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.

What happens if Pacheco gets hurt?

If Pacheco gets hurt, it puts a dent in the Lions' running back rotation. The Lions are gearing up to potentially extend Jahmyr Gibbs this offseason, and it could potentially be a market resetting deal. Because of this, the Lions will want to make sure they don't put too much on Gibbs.

This emphasizes the value of a player like Pacheco, who can spell Gibbs for a series at a time. He'll need to produce, as the Lions rely on the run game to set up the rest of their offense.

Should Pacheco go down, the next in line behind him would likely be Sione Vaki. Heading into his third NFL season, Vaki is a converted safety who has mostly gotten action on special teams. While he's shown some upside running the ball in the preseason, Vaki has just seven regular season carries through two years.

As a result, Pacheco is a player the Lions need to stay healthy to offer both depth and production for their offense to be successful.

Why we ranked Pacheco here

With how important the run game is to the Lions' offense, Pacheco will be a key player in 2026. He won't have the top billing in the room, but offers a change of pace that could come in clutch in games where Gibbs may be stymied.

The Lions' offense has been at its best when its two running backs are in sync together, such as the peak of the 'Sonic and Knuckles' era when the team finished 15-2 in 2024. Pacheco's performance will no doubt be pivotal.

If the Lions are able to get the most out of Pacheco in 2026, it opens up the rest of the offense in a big way.

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