Fantasy football lineup decisions NFL Week 3: Chiefs' backfield, Panthers' offense, Justin Fields - ESPN

Fantasy football managers overthink just about everything. They often need a calm, measured voice of reason to remind them of what makes sense.

Take a deep breath. It is fantasy football. Make practical decisions on lineups, trades and foods for the tailgating party and things will work out. Try to enjoy the ride. You wouldn't believe the things fantasy managers overthink. Well, you're (presumably) a fantasy manager. OK, so perhaps you would.

Andy Reid has won 71% of his regular-season games in 12 years as head coach of the Chiefs, and of course, he has three Super Bowl rings. Reid knows what he is doing, and by the end of the weekend we should all know what he is doing with his running backs now that starter Isiah Pacheco is out until probably November with a fractured right fibula (and subsequent surgery).

Three Chiefs are among the top five running backs on the most-added list this week. Relatively unknown rookie Carson Steele is the hot name to add, since he is new and hasn't failed yet at the NFL level. Fantasy managers love players like this, even if there is little guarantee of production. Then there is veteran Kareem Hunt, who once was great but didn't look so great last season in Cleveland averaging 3.0 yards per rush and barely catching passes.

Samaje Perine is my choice. Perine is proven and he fits Kansas City's style like Jerick McKinnon did in 2022. Only 14 running backs caught 50 passes last season. Some of the biggest names achieved this. Surprise, Perine did this for the Broncos! Reid can trust him, and I bet we see Patrick Mahomes throwing a lot more on traditional running downs, with safer, shorter passes to Perine, forgotten TE Travis Kelce (who will start getting his numbers this week) and others.