NFL Rumors: Kansas City Chiefs Expect WR Kadarius Toney and RB Isiah Pacheco Back for Week 1

The Kansas City Chiefs should be able to put their best foot forward when they kick off the 2023 regular season against the Detroit Lions in Week 1. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Adam Teicher, the Chiefs expect injured wide receiver Kadarius Toney and ailing running back Isiah Pacheco back in time for the season opener.

Chiefs expect wide receiver Kadarius Toney and running back Isiah Pacheco to play in their regular season opener against the Detroit Lions. More via @adamteicher:https://t.co/oQu4TT15BH
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 7, 2023

Toney tweaked his knee in the lead-up to training camp and recently underwent a clean-up procedure to help deal with a torn meniscus. Pacheco has been recovering from multiple surgeries this offseason and has yet to be cleared for contact. The pair are arguably two of the biggest x-factors on the Chiefs offense heading into the 2023 season.

Pacheco appeared in 17 regular season games and three postseason wins for the Chiefs as a rookie seventh-round pick, amassing a crucial 1222 yards from scrimmage. He finished as the champs' leading rusher, and his 960 yards from scrimmage in the regular season ranked second on the team behind only all-world tight end Travis Kelce.

As for Toney, the Chiefs are clearly banking on an increased role for the 2021 first-round pick after the departures of wide receivers Juju Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman this March. The Chiefs acquired Toney from the New York Giants for a 2023 third-round pick at the trade deadline last season and are still holding out hope for a handsome return. He had another forgettable regular season in 2022 (16 receptions, 171 yards), but he flashed his tantalizing potential with several key plays in the Super Bowl, including a touchdown reception and a game-swinging 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.

For the Chiefs to repeat as Super Bowl champions and as the league's top-scoring offense, they'll likely need Pacheco and Toney in starring roles. With big seasons from the pair, the Chiefs will be AFC favorites for years to come. If they stumble, the Chiefs may have to succeed despite perhaps the thinnest set of offensive playmakers of the Patrick Mahomes era. In either case, Chiefs fans will be watching Toney and Pacheco closely in the coming weeks.