The Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, Week 13 Black Friday football The matchup is a true battle between David and Goliath. One team is at the top of the AFC while the other is tied for last place.

A fair and honest assessment: Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce called this showdown between the Chiefs and Raiders a battle between the best and worst teams in football. Even though it’s depressing, he knows that the odds of winning at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium are stacked against him and his team.

However, it’s worth noting that Pierce’s Raiders beat the Chiefs on the road on Christmas Day less than a year ago. So let’s not count our chickens before they hatch – anything can happen at any time in the NFL.

However, with the conference’s No. 1 seed on the line, the Chiefs will try not to play with their food against an inferior team. The Raiders may need to step up their intensity in this game to pull off another stunning upset. But even if Las Vegas can pull that off, the disparity in roster talent is gaping, especially considering Kansas City is getting reinforcements.

On Thursday, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported that the Chiefs have officially activated standout running back Isiah Pacheco and defensive lineman Charles Omenihu on injured reserve. Both are expected to play for the meeting between Kansas City and the Raiders.

Pacheco suffered a broken fibula in Week 2 that required surgery and has been out since. The Chiefs and those who draft the talented runner in fantasy football have been doing their best to get by without him ever since. Nevertheless, the wait is finally over!

But Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy hinted that Pacheco might not immediately slip into his pre-injury role as a three-down bell cow. The play-caller said the split in the backfield between the 25-year-old and placeholder Kareem Hunt will be determined “in-game and situationally,” Charles Goldman of AtoZSports reported. Therefore, managers may want to manipulate expectations as the situation plays out and may want to avoid the situation altogether until we have clarity.

Below are three viable and widely available alternative running back options for fantasy football managers who are uncomfortable pushing Pacheco (or Hunt) into their lineup. While they may seem uninspiring, each has some merit this week given its circumstances.

1. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

Regardless of whether Alexander Mattison plays, Ameer Abdullah provides an interesting FLEX this week, especially in PPR formats. The Raiders are 13.5 point underdogs (according to ESPN bets). In other words, they are likely to appear in a negative game script throughout the game, which is a good sign that the latter’s profile will be pushed back.

Abdullah is at his best when it comes to catching passes from the backfield. He has had at least three receptions in three straight games and a receiving touchdown in the last two games. Last week, without Mattison and fellow tailback Zamir White, the veteran journeyman dominated the Las Vegas backcourt en route to a weekly RB9 total.

With or without Mattison, there should be plenty of opportunities for Abdullah to catch passes and rack up meaningless scoring stats.

2. Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans

First-year Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan has repeatedly expressed his desire to balance backfield usage between Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. Injuries have led to a rather one-sided distribution of the ball, although both defenders are healthy in an inviting matchup with the Washington Commanders.

Washington ranks 29th in rushing yards per game (145.5) and 26th in yards per attempt (4.8) allowed to opponents this season. Additionally, the Commanders have thrown for the ninth-most touchdowns through the ground (13), tied with the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts.

Spears is a fitting plug-and-play RB3/FLEX for those worried about Pacheco/Hunt.

3. Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets

Even though the New York Jets had a bye, Breece Hall does not appear to have fully recovered from the knee soreness he suffered in Week 11. He did not practice on Wednesday before returning in a limited capacity on Thursday, putting his availability against the Seattle Seahawks in question.

Wednesday’s DNPs are usually not too concerning, especially for veterans who consider them a day of rest. But the fact that the Jets are past their break and Hall is still feeling pain is neither ideal nor encouraging. With that in mind, Braelon Allen could take on a bigger role – at least for this week.

Considering the 3-8 Jets don’t have much to play for, they may not want to risk putting Hall in danger. Meanwhile, Allen has shown this season that he is capable of handling a significant workload if given the chance. Of course, the rookie should push for double-digit hit points.

But if Hall were to sit out Week 13, Allen would almost be a must-have.

With Pacheco and Omenihu active, the Chiefs enter Week 13 with a relatively clean bill of health. Kicker Spencer Shrader, who sat out the last two games in the absence of injured starter Harrison Butker, will be out. Kansas City has named Matthew Wright to the 53-man roster to oversee starting duties for the time being.

Special teamer/linebacker Cam Jones is questionable due to illness. He missed Kansas City’s first two practices before Week 13 before fully participating in Friday’s practice, which put him on track to play.

As previously mentioned, Mattison’s status for Week 13 remains uncertain. He is battling an ankle problem that could force him to miss a second straight competition. White is in a similar boat due to his quadriceps complaint, although the Raiders have already ruled him out.

Additionally, Las Vegas will not have starting cornerback Nate Hobbs due to an ankle injury. He’s been out since Week 9 after being carted off the field and doesn’t appear close to returning.