Impact Pacheco emerged from the Chiefs' Dec. 25 win over the Steelers with a rib injury, though head coach Andy Reid mostly downplayed any concern about the issue shortly after that game. The running back ended up sitting out the Chiefs' Week 18 loss to the Broncos, though he was likely inactive mostly as a precaution since Kansas City had already clinched the AFC's No. 1 seed and had little to gain by exposing him to further injury in the regular-season finale. After sitting out Week 18 and benefiting from the Chiefs' first-round playoff bye, Pacheco's ability to practice in full suggests he'll be ready to go for Saturday's postseason opener versus the Texans. Pacheco played less than half of the Chiefs' offensive snaps in each of his five appearances since being activated from injured reserve in Week 13 following an extended absence due to a fractured right fibula, so he could once again find himself in a timeshare out of the backfield with Kareem Hunt in the divisional-round matchup.
JANUARY 14 • ROTOWIRE
