In the final moments of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, running back Isiah Pacheco walked off the field with a limp. The reports about his injury gradually became worse until it was reported that the Chiefs’ starting running back had fractured his fibula.

The diagnosis points to an extended absence for Pacheco, who has started 33 of Kansas City’s last 37 games. Veteran running back Samaje Perine has the experience to play all facets of the position, but he is expected to move closer to a full-time role on passing downs without Pacheco.

That leaves rookie running back Carson Steele as the team’s workhorse in the run game. With one game remaining in Week 2, Pacheco currently has the eighth-most rushing attempts in the NFL. He led the offense against Cincinnati with 90 yards on the ground; that was key to securing a one-point victory amid three giveaways and sloppy moments.

Moving forward, the offense will depend on Steele to provide consistent rushing throughout the game. That leads to the ultimate question: Can he serve as the Chiefs’ starting running back? Here are three factors to help answer that question:

1. Steele’s running style suits the Chiefs’ scheme

For years, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid primarily ran zone-scheme runs as the foundation of his offense. It suited Kansas City’s runners, but Pacheco has forced Reid to adjust his run game to include more downhill, gap runs.

During Pacheco’s rookie year, only 35% of his rushes were gap-run schemes, according to PFFLast season, that percentage jumped to 43%, thanks in part to the Chiefs’ postseason run; 54% of Pacheco’s playoff carries were gap runs.

So far this season, it’s been an even split for Pacheco: 17 gap runs and 17 zone runs. The 50 percent rate represents the gradual change in the Chiefs’ run-game mentality, and Steele fits right in. Seven of Steele’s nine rushes this season have been gap-run schemes. Like Pacheco, Steele seems to be at his best when he’s given a runway to gather momentum and accelerate with force into a run lane.

2. Steele is comfortable as a pass catcher

Although Steele has yet to make his first NFL catch, he proved useful as a pass catcher in college. In three seasons at Ball State and UCLA, Steele totaled 486 receiving yards and four touchdown catches on 58 receptions. He earned a first down on 43 percent of his career catches and was only flagged for one drop according to PFF.

This should give the Chiefs some confidence that play calling doesn’t have to change to protect Steele. The team can still be pass-heavy in neutral situations, and fall back on Steele bowling over defenders as a check-down option in the flat.

Perine will likely be superior in timing and spacing on screen plays, but that doesn’t mean Steele shouldn’t get a chance. Simply put, give the ball to Steele in open space. The Chiefs understand that — hence Steele’s role as kick returner this season.

3. Steele will need to improve his ball security

While Steele shined with powerful, driving runs in the Week 2 win, one of them ended in the worst possible way: a fumble that was recovered by the defense. It was only Steele’s fifth carry as a professional football player, and it could reveal a negative trend about the exciting rookie.

Steele had eight fumbles during his three-year college career, according to PFF; he had three in each of his first two seasons before cutting that number to two in 2023. In preseason, Steele placed a much greater emphasis on using both hands to carry the ball than he did in his regular-season snaps, and it came back to haunt him in Week 2.

The positive is that the first negative play of Steele’s career will certainly stick with him as he prepares for the next game. The “welcome to the NFL” moment will sharpen Steele’s focus on protecting the rock going forward.

The heart of the matter

Steele has proven this season that he can be part of the Chiefs’ first-team offense — but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to be the team’s starting lead back. There’s a chance Perine could be used in more ways, and the backfield has a split usage on the ground.

However, Steele’s acceleration and ability to run through contact make him the more interesting option of the two. As such, Steele can absolutely serve as the Chiefs’ starting running back and should be given the chance to prove whether or not he can do it.