Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports<\/cite><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
The seventh-round pick was the second running back the Chiefs put on the field \u2014 after only Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Interestingly, he saw action when the Chiefs got into third-down passing situations on the first drive of the game \u2014 and once again when the team broached the red zone.<\/p>\n
Pacheco’s first highlight in a Chiefs uniform came on a first-and-goal play from the 10-yard line. Pacheco lined up to the right of quarterback Patrick Mahomes in a shotgun set. He immediately darted to the right flat and looked back for the ball. The middle of the field options were well defended, so Mahomes worked to his right. Pacheco caught the ball cleanly and held on as Bears defensive back Lamar Jackson attempted to take his legs from underneath him.<\/p>\n
That is where things got interesting.<\/p>\n
Pacheco stayed up with some very impressive contact balance, put his hand on the ground, and accelerated another six yards to the 4-yard line. He was pushed out of bounds but never went down on the play. <\/p>\n
Pacheco didn’t play much on Saturday. His stat line has two carries for six yards and one reception for five yards. That doesn’t stand out \u2014 but his usage did<\/em>.<\/p>\nPacheco was used as if he is a starter. By the start of the second quarter, he was hanging out on the sideline with Mahomes, Edwards-Helaire and tight end Travis Kelce. For a late-round rookie running back, that’s extremely unusual.<\/p>\n
A team tells us more with their actions than its words. Since the start of training camp, the Chiefs’ actions have indicated that Pacheco is \u2014 at worst \u2014 the team’s third running back. He has the potential to make the early-down work more of a timeshare with Edwards-Helaire than I originally expected.<\/p>\n
2. Skyy Moore is going to be used in every way imaginable<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/source><\/picture>\n
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<\/p>\n Photo by Robin Alam\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
Looking back, I’m not sure any Kansas City player had a more impressive individual moment during Saturday’s game than Moore did. His catch on the sideline late in the second quarter was a thing of beauty. A rookie having the presence of mind to get two feet in bounds after spending his entire football career only needing to have one foot down in order to complete the catch? That’s some next-level stuff.<\/p>\n
But Moore’s game was more than just a single highlight. The Chiefs used him in every way imaginable \u2014 something that should be a sign of things to come. He got the ball in motion on a jet sweep, lined up in the slot to win across the middle and lined up outside to create separation on a deep out. <\/p>\n
The Chiefs have the deepest wide receiver corps I can remember. They go four deep with legitimate <\/em>starting-level NFL wide receivers. Moore is probably fourth on that list \u2014 but if he continues putting these kinds of reps on film, he won’t stay there. Head coach Andy Reid is going to find ways to get the ball in his hands \u2014 simply because Moore is too talented to for Reid to deny him those opportunities.<\/p>\n3. Justin Watson has locked up the fifth wide receiver spot<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/source><\/picture>\n
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<\/p>\n Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports<\/cite><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
Sorry, Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon: Watson has taken your roster spot.<\/p>\n
It’s not hard to understand why \u201cGood Morning Football’s\u201d Peter Schrager has been hyping Watson at every turn. Watson spent the first four years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he didn’t have much production: just 23 receptions for 250 yards. <\/p>\n
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