Lions backup RB Isiah Pacheco will now miss at least the first 4 games of the regular season with a back injury. GM Brad Holmes was asked if we would see Pacheco back on the field at some point this season and his response was, “That’s the hope.” Year 2 RB Jacob Saylors will take over backup responsibilities in the meantime, but this backfield belongs fully to superstar RB Jahmyr Gibbs.

After trading RB David Montgomery to the Texans early this offseason, backup RB could now be a weakness for Detroit. The Lions signed Pacheco, PlayerProfiler’s RB60, to a cheap 1 year contract and now they will have to rely on Jacob Saylors as the backup. Saylors had an impressive 17 carry-1oo yard game in the 2026 preseason finale against the Colts and may be worth an add in deep leagues with Pacheco’s return status up in the air. Gibbs will see the lions share of the touches and he’s poised to have a monster season.

~Justin Teck