Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
After giving undrafted rookie running back Carson Steele the starting nod the last two games, the Kansas City Chiefs are making a switch at the position. According to Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest, veteran Kareem Hunt will be the Chiefs’ starting RB against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football in Week 5.
Hunt signed with Kansas City’s practice squad on September 17 and saw his first game action during the team’s 17-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. In that game, Hunt was the primary back in the wake of Steele’s first quarter fumble and ran the ball 14 times for 69 yards. He also caught two passes on three targets for 16 yards.
With Steele having fumbled twice in a three game span, the Chiefs will now rely on Hunt, who didn’t look very explosive in Week 4 but is less prone to turn the ball over. However, Kansas City is likely to take a hot-hand approach at RB moving forward, so this isn’t the last we’ve seen from Steele. Veteran Samaje Perine will still be a regular part of the rotation as well.
In Week 5, Hunt and the Chiefs offense will face a Saints defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest rushing yards per game (96.5), per ESPN.
Andy Reid: We Have a Lot of Trust in Kareem
While speaking to the media on September 30, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid evaluated Hunt’s Week 4 performance.
“I thought he (Kareem Hunt) ran hard, and I thought he was pretty accurate with the holes that he hit,” Reid said during his press conference. “He did well. He had a couple receptions there so — and then an opportunity from even a couple others, we had a screen there called for him. I think we all have a lot of trust in Kareem since he had been here and we kind of know how he’s wired, and he’s been able to pick stuff up pretty quick. I think we’re okay there increasing him.”
Devon Clements covers the Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts for Heavy.com. A New England native who has covered the NFL since 2017, his previous bylines include USA Today's Sports Media Group and Sports Illustrated. More about Devon Clements
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