Another week's list of inactive players brings the same questions again and again for the Kansas City Chiefs.
It's a minor blip in the larger story of the Chiefs' success this season, but it's worth noting all the same that running back Elijah Mitchell is once again a healthy scratch coming into Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills. That was already the case for the first eight games of the season, but the questions are louder than ever in terms of the franchise's use (or lack thereof) of Mitchell at this stage.
The reason so many are interested in Mitchell's status at this point compared to other games on the calendar is that the backfield has a very real need for someone to step up. Isiah Pacheco is sitting on the shelf with an MCL strain, which means the Chiefs are relying even more on Kareem Hunt and rookie Brashard Smith against the Bills. In this scenario, it made sense for the Chiefs to have Mitchell active for the first time this season.
A veteran running back signed to a one-year deal in free agency, Mitchell's assumed purpose on the roster to date has been about security, an emergency measure in case something goes wrong. Yet when it did—in the case of Pacheco's injury—the team went around him instead.
Elijah Mitchell's status is once again a confusing question for the Chiefs as Week 9 comes into view.
The Chiefs promoted Clyde Edwards-Helaire from the practice squad for Week 9, and pre-game reports say he'll be active with Smith and Hunt as part of the planned trio of options out of the backfield. That begs the question as to why Mitchell is on the roster in the first place.
While Edwards-Helaire has far more familiarity overall in the offense after spending several seasons with the team, Mitchell has been in K.C. since last March. He's taken reps in minicamps, preseason games, training camp practices, and more. He's been in the RB room for the entire 2025 season, so why is he not deemed "ready" instead of CEH?
If Mitchell was never going to be called upon, why waste the roster spot? Certainly the Chiefs have younger players who they like in a developmental capacity who could man that spot as a healthy inactive player.
It's all a bit confusing, even though post-game quotes from the coaching staff will likely say something about trust and experience on the part of Edwards-Helaire. That's fine if K.C. likes their former first-round pick as their emergency RB, but wasting a spot on Mitchell is a bit of an insult to the player and an odd decision overall.