The Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs face off in Week 4, and running back Kareem Hunt could make his triumphant on-field return to the reigning Super Bowl champions. A third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Hunt began his career in Kansas City and looked like he’d be a featured part of the offense for years to come. During his inaugural campaign, Hunt finished with a league-leading 1,327 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 272 carries to go along with 53 receptions for 455 yards and three touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the best young talents in the league.
Hunt picked up where he left off early in 2018 before a video surfaced of him kicking a woman in a Cleveland hotel. The Chiefs immediately cut the running back and rolled with Damien Williams for the remainder of the season. Hunt, meanwhile, spent the rest of 2018 out of football before signing with the Cleveland Browns in 2019. The Toledo product spent the next five seasons in Cleveland but is now back in Kansas City following the Isiah Pacheco injury. The Chiefs promoted Kareem Hunt to the active roster, but will he be the featured back over Carson Steele?
Kansas City Chiefs Promote Kareem Hunt For Chargers Matchup
With Pacheco sidelined, undrafted free agent Carson Steele earned the start in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons. The UCLA product was up for the task, finishing the night with 17 carries for 72 yards while adding one reception for two yards. The NFL is a young man’s game, which means the 22-year-old Steele should continue to start for the Chiefs instead of the 29-year-old Kareem Hunt. After all, there was a reason nobody signed Hunt before Kansas City. The running back had a chance to prove himself last year with Nick Chubb sidelined but ultimately couldn’t beat out Jerome Ford for starting duties.
With that being said, this doesn’t mean he won’t see any opportunities on the offense. Steele is not a player who demands 100% of the touches, so Hunt should still see the field as a change of pace back. Additionally, he could earn a few targets in the passing game, as Samaje Perine is nothing special at this stage in his career. The Chiefs offense isn’t as unstoppable as usual, so from a fantasy football standpoint, you shouldn’t start Kareem Hunt hoping for a touchdown. Maybe he can carve out a role as the season continues, but right now he’s nothing more than a third-string running back.
Game Prediction
Kareem Hunt might not play a big role for the Kansas City Chiefs, but that doesn’t mean they won’t win the matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs aren’t as good as their 3-0 record suggests, but they’re considerably better than the banged-up version of the Los Angeles Chargers heading into the Week 4 matchup. Justin Herbert may or may not play, but even if he suits up, injuries will limit him in the pocket. This is bad news under any circumstance, but it’s especially bad when both tackles could also miss the game.
The Chiefs only have six sacks on the season, but that number should rise in Week 4. Perhaps Jim Harbaugh can pull off a miracle with his strong defense and running game, but it’s hard to beat the Chiefs without a strong passing attack. At his best, Herbert has the talent to go toe-to-toe with Mahomes, but the hobbled version we’ve seen all season probably isn’t up for the task, especially considering his subpar receivers.
Main Photo: Troy Taormina – USA Today Sports
