Steele recorded one rush for two yards and gathered in his only target for five yards during Sunday's 30-21 loss versus the Bills.
Steele saw the field on just eight offensive plays versus the Bills, so his two touches during the contest shouldn't come as a surprise. The undrafted rookie's fantasy future looks even bleaker when factoring in the anticipated return of Isiah Pacheco (ankle) from injured reserve in Week 12. If everything goes as expected, Steele and Samaje Perine will likely be duking it out for spare reps behind Pacheco and Kareem Hunt going forward.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Minimal impact in Week 10
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Steele tallied two carries for three yards during Sunday's 16-14 victory against the Broncos.
Steele logged only 13 offensive snaps in the contest, still trailing Kareem Hunt (44) by a sizable margin and sitting three behind Samaje Perine as well. The rookie back has carried the ball a combined seven times over the last three weeks. With Isiah Pacheco's (lower leg) return from injured reserve on the horizon, there's little to like about Steele's fantasy prospects moving forward.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Usage stays low in Week 9
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Steele rushed three times for nine yards in Monday's 30-24 overtime win versus the Buccaneers.
Steele recorded less than a 20 percent snap share for the fifth straight game, as he has had little impact since his impressive Week 3 showing versus the Falcons. RBs Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine are both running ahead of Steele. The rookie likely won't play much as long as the veterans are healthy.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Totals six totes versus Niners
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Steele totaled six carries for 17 yards during Sunday's 28-18 win versus San Francisco.
Steele finished the day second on the Chiefs in carries behind Kareem Hunt, but that amounted to just six compared to Hunt's 22; Steele also played fewer offensive snaps (15) than Samaje Perine (16). Hunt has clearly settled back into a workhorse role for KC, leaving Steele and Perine to duke it out for the leftover touches. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was also activated from injured reserve last week before being deemed a healthy inactive Sunday, but CEH could be part of the mix in future weeks as well.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Minimal run against Saints
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Steele had five rushes for 12 yards during Monday's 26-13 win against the Saints.
Steele finished the day a distant second in backfield carries, logging just five to Kareem Hunt's 27. Samaje Perine also logged more snaps but finished with just one touch (a catch for 24 yards on two targets). It appears Hunt is primed to recapture the lead-back role for Kansas City, and the impending return of Clyde Edwards-Helaire could shift Steele further out of the spotlight.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Loses grip on role
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Steele rushed the ball twice for six yards and lost a fumble in Sunday's 17-10 win over the Chargers. He added one reception on three targets for zero yards.
Steele started the game but lost a fumble on the first drive and was ineffective across the team's first three possessions. Kareem Hunt took over as the team's lead back while Steele did not record a touch after the first quarter, though he was targeted once shortly after halftime. Hunt did well in the role, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he has permanently moved past Steele on the depth chart.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Sleeper RBs
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We'll see what happens with Kareem Hunt now that he's on the active roster, but it would be surprising if Steele didn't lead the Chiefs in carries again in Week 4. In Week 3 at Atlanta, in the first game without Isiah Pacheco (leg), Steele had 17 carries for 72 yards and one catch for 2 yards on two targets. The Chargers are banged up on both sides of the ball, so the Chiefs should be able to lean on Steele a lot in this matchup if things go as planned. And the Chargers have already allowed two running backs this season to score at least 13.6 PPR points.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Racks up 17 carries in Week 3 win
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Steele rushed 17 times for 72 yards while catching one of two targets for two yards in Sunday's 22-17 win over the Falcons.
In the first game since Isiah Pacheco (fibula) suffered an injury that's expected to keep him sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks, Steele got 19 combined carries and targets compared to 10 for Samaje Perine, who finished with 40 yards from scrimmage. Steele had two carries from inside the five-yard line on the first drive of the third quarter but failed to convert on either one as the Chiefs settled for a field goal to take a 16-14 lead. Kansas City could add reinforcements to the backfield, as Kareem Hunt's an option to be elevated from the practice squad as soon as Week 4 against the Chargers and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) is eligible to come off the reserve/non-football illness list the following week. As things stand, Steele appears in line to handle the bulk of the backfield work again Week 4.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Sleeper RBs
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This will be Kansas City's first game without Isiah Pacheco (leg), so we'll see what happens with Steele and Samaje Perine. Kareem Hunt is not going to play in Week 3, which is a big opportunity for Steele and Perine to prove themselves. I anticipate Steele getting the majority of work on rushing downs, with Perine working on passing downs, but it's a guessing game heading into Week 3 at Atlanta. I'm going to use Steele as a flex option in leagues where I added him, and Perine could be a flex option as well. The Falcons have yet to allow a running back to score a touchdown in matchups with Najee Harris and Saquon Barkley, but Kansas City has had a running back score at least 12.6 PPR points in 13 games in a row going back to last season, including the playoffs. Let's hope Steele or Perine can keep that streak alive against Atlanta.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Set for first crack at No. 1 role
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Steele appears set to get the first chance at the No. 1 role in Kansas City's backfield in Week 3 versus the Falcons, Charles Goldman of AtoZSports.com reports.
Steele will look to step up in the absence of Isiah Pacheco (fibula/ankle) after Pacheco was diagnosed with a fractured fibula Monday. Steele turned seven carries into 24 yards Week 2 versus the Bengals, and he's produced 27 yards on nine rushes through two games this season. Head coach Andy Reid said Monday that Steele will "have to step it up there and in that role" and that "this will be a good challenge for him." The 21-year-old won't be the team's only option in the backfield, as veteran Samaje Perine will likely also see an uptick in usage after playing nine of the team's 65 offensive snaps Week 2, though Perine's value is more evident in the passing game.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Could mix in more with CEH out
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Steele could see significant playing time early in the season, starting with Thursday's game against the Ravens, as teammate Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss at least four weeks after being placed on the non-football illness list Monday, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.
Steele profiles as the third option in Kansas City's backfield behind Isiah Pacheco and Samaje Perine, though Perine has been with the team for only two weeks and thus may not be available in all situations. Steele made the 53-man roster after a strong training camp and preseason.
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Chiefs' Carson Steele: Earns spot on initial roster
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Steele has a spot on Kansas City's initial 53-man roster, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The 225-pound undrafted rookie was a preseason standout, taking 11 carries for 87 yards and two touchdowns. The team lists him at fullback on its depth chart, and coach Andy Reid mentioned the possibility of using him in that role, but Steele mostly lined up as a lone running back during the preseason. There's potential to earn snaps and touches early on, as Kansas City has a weak group of running backs beyond Isiah Pacheco and could do some shuffling in the coming days to fill the other backup spots.
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Carson Steele: Slated to sign with Kansas City
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Steele is slated to sign with Kansas City as an undrafted free agent, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Steele began his collegiate career by playing two seasons at Ball State, but he joined UCLA for the 2023 campaign. His production declined with the Bruins, but he still rushed 167 times for 847 yards and six touchdowns while tallying 17 receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns during his year at UCLA. He'll now spend time with Kansas City during offseason activities.
