Former UCLA running back and standout player Carson Steele could take advantage of the opportunity presented to him as he enters the third week of his rookie season.

Steele, a member of the Chiefs who won the Super Bowl twice in a row, could play a crucial role in the offense in the future, or at least for the time being.

Chiefs start running back Isiah Pacheco has broken his fibula and will be placed on the injured list. Pacheco was expected to be one of the best running backs in the league, but this injury will undoubtedly set the Chiefs and Pacheco back in some ways.

This may seem so on the surface, but it may not be so, especially if Steele proves he can carry the heavy load that may come his way in the future.

Steele will have to compete with veteran running back Samaje Perine. Perine has the experience to fill all facets of the position, but without Pacheco, he will have more of a full-time role on passing downs. Still, he’s a veteran and can take some snaps away from Steele when he’s not ready.

In addition, the Chiefs also brought back former running back and Pro Bowler Kareem Hunt. Hunt played the first two seasons of his career for the Chiefs before some off-field issues forced the Chiefs to release him. Hunt played in the NFL last season as a member of the Cleveland Browns.

The two older players on the list may have more experience than Stellee, but he’s the type of player that fits their scheme. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid primarily relied on zone scheme runs as the foundation of his offense. However, the signing of Pacheco forced Reid to tweak his running game and incorporate more downhill and gap runs.

Seven of Steele’s nine runs this season have been gap-run schemes, and if the Chiefs stick with that going forward, Stelee would be best off having a runway to gain momentum and accelerate into a running lane with power.

Additionally, Stelele is a sure-fire pass catcher, something he pursued at Ball State and UCLA. In three seasons, Steele totaled 486 yards and caught 58 balls.

It may not all happen at once, but Steele, the younger and potentially most explosive player during Pacheco’s absence, could step into the key role sooner rather than later.

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