Fantasy Alert: Kareem Hunt Signed to Chiefs' 53-Man Roster amid Isiah Pacheco Injury

There is reportedly another running back for fantasy football players to consider with the Kansas City Chiefs.

ESPN's Field Yates reported Tuesday the AFC West team signed Kareem Hunt to its active 53-man roster ahead of Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Charges. The Chiefs also waived running back Keontay Ingraham as they continue to rotate at the position after they placed Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve with a fractured fibula.

There was a time when Hunt would be considered a must-start in fantasy circles.

He led the league with 1,327 rushing yards as a rookie in 2017. He also mixed in 455 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns as a game-changing weapon. Yet he has been unable to replicate those numbers since even with two seasons of more than 800 rushing yards.

Hunt was with the Cleveland Browns the past five seasons and was a secondary playmaker at best in 2023 with 411 rushing yards, 84 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. While the touchdown number was solid, he also averaged just 3.0 yards per carry as someone who struggled to create separation from the defense.

Given last year's performance and the reality of the Chiefs' roster, he likely isn't going to be a significant fantasy weapon even on the active roster.

Carson Steele was the primary running back in Sunday's win over the Atlanta Falcons with 17 carries for 72 yards, while Samaje Perine will likely remain as another option who has proven himself capable of making plays in the passing game throughout his career.

Perine had three catches and four targets in the Falcons game and posted 50 catches last season with the Denver Broncos.

Throw in the ability to use wide receiver Xavier Worthy on gadget plays as a runner, and the Chiefs have plenty of options to carry the ball without relying on Hunt. And Patrick Mahomes is still going to throw the ball 25-plus times a game, especially with Pacheco sidelined.

While he provides veteran depth for Kansas City on the field, fantasy players would need to be in desperate situations to consider starting or even rostering Hunt at this stage.