Should I Drop Carson Steele? Fantasy Football Outlook

A messy backfield could get messier soon.

When Isiah Pacheco suffered a fractured fibula late in Week 2, undrafted rookie running back Carson Steele was the favorite to take over early-down rush attempts. Veteran Samaje Perine would command third-down work.

And that was the case in Week 3! Steele ran 17 times against the Falcons, 11 more attempts than any other Chief. Week 4 wasn't as kind to Steele and he may now be buried on the depth chart.

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Should I Drop Carson Steele in Fantasy Football?

Carson Steele was handed the first carry of the Chiefs' Week 4 divisional battle against the Los Angeles Chargers. He fumbled and lost that carry. Steele only got one more touch for the rest of the game.

It's the second fumble in three weeks for Steele, who also coughed one up in Week 2 against Cincinnati. Effectively benched, head coach Andy Reid told reporters he went with the hot hand at running back. That hot hand was Kareem Hunt, his first game on the Chiefs' active roster this season. Hunt picked up 14 carries and two receptions, while Perine scored Kansas City's lone rushing touchdown.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire is eligible to return to the Chiefs' active roster. He started the season on the NFI list and was required to miss at least four games. NFL insiders believe he'll be back practicing with the team this week.

Other players set to return to practice this week: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Odell Beckham Jr, Kendrick Bourne, Kendre Miller, D.J. Chark.

Several others on the PUP list or IR will return to practice in the weeks following this one. https://t.co/3cxFtKZWRV

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 29, 2024

Suddenly, the Kansas City backfield is overcrowded and Steele may be the odd man out. If that's the case, he won't hold any fantasy football value moving forward.

Who Should I Pickup in Week 3 Fantasy Football?

If Kareem Hunt is available, he should be the priority target from the Kansas City backfield. Edwards-Helaire is also an option, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to contribute a lot immediately.

Elsewhere in the league, Trey Sermon and Tyler Allgeier are intriguing options, given the health question marks of Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Bijan Robinson (hamstring). The latter shouldn't miss any time, but Allgeier has run more efficiently than Robinson this season. Taylor could miss a game with a mild ankle sprain.

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