As of August 2, it still appears that Kansas City Chiefs fan favorite running back/fullback Carson Steele will have an uphill climb to make the 53-man roster in year two.

According to Arrowhead Addict reporter Price Carter, the “Chiefs’ RB rotation is very clearly 1A. [Isiah] Pacheco 1B. [Kareem] Hunt 2. [Elijah] Mitchell. 3. [Brashard] Smith 4. Steele.”

That puts Steele fifth on the running back depth chart, and although he has other talents that lie in special teams and work as a fullback, fifth likely won’t get it done come cutdown time.

Steele was an unexpected summer standout as an undrafted rookie last training camp and preseason. In the end, he impressed the KC coaching staff enough to make the 53-man roster, but some have doubts that Steele can do the same in 2025.

The Chiefs made it a priority to bring back or bring in ball carriers this spring, re-signing Hunt and taking a free agency flier on Mitchell. They also drafted Smith, who has turned heads in a pass-catching role over the past few months.

Steele surprisingly got the opportunity to start three games for the Chiefs in 2024. Two of his starts came early in the season, just after Pacheco’s injury, while the final start came in Week 18 with the first-team offense resting.

In Steele’s one true moment as the unquestioned lead back in Week 3, he was given the ball 17 times out of the backfield for a total of 72 rushing yards (4.2 yards per carry). Unfortunately, he fumbled the ball in the next outings, which added up to three fumbles on the season and two fumbles lost.

After that, it was pretty much Hunt’s show until Pacheco returned.

Although Steele ran for 4.2 yards per carry in Week 3, he regressed to 3.3 yards per carry for the entire season. Overall, he also displays a lower ceiling as a runner than a speedster like Smith or a home run threat like Pacheco.

At his current age, Hunt is more similar to Steele in terms of ceiling, but the veteran has proven himself valuable in certain situations. Mitchell is a true unknown returning from injury, but has shown improvement at Chiefs training camp.

Whether or not Steele makes the roster will likely depend on if his special teams and fullback impact outweigh his shortcomings as a runner.