Kareem Hunt

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell provided a few new injury updates prior to the team’s final training camp practice on Thursday, and unfortunately, it’s not all good news. Primarily, Campbell broke news that backup running back Isiah Pacheco is dealing with a new back injury, and his timeline for a return is unclear.

“I can’t give you anything definitive,” Campbell said. “He is feeling better as of yesterday, you know. It’s been a little touch-and-go right now. He’s had a little bit of a back (injury), and we’re hoping he’s coming out of this as of yesterday.”

The good news is that Campbell said they weren’t concerned about the knee injury that initially kept Pacheco out of practice for a little over two weeks.

Related Players: Jahmyr Gibbs, Jacob Saylors, Sione Vaki, Kareem Hunt

The positive knee update is offset by a new injury with an uncertain timeline. Pacheco remains the favorite to complement Gibbs when healthy, but consecutive lower-body and back concerns make his Week 1 workload less secure. Hunt’s recent visit is also more relevant in light of this update. Pacheco should remain in place for now, with Vaki and Saylors offering only speculative (very) deep-league value.