The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t had a single 1,000-yard rusher ever since Patrick Mahomes took over as the team’s starting quarterback. For the first seven years of that experiment, it did not seem to truly make a difference to the franchise’s capabilities.
However, last year, behind an uneven receiving room and subsequent injury to their quarterback, those problems became undeniable. As a result, the running back spot has been a key focus for them all offseason. After the Kenneth Walker III signing in free agency, they have now made a move in the draft as well.
Kansas City Chiefs’ Running Back Room
Despite Mahomes playing in just 14 games and the team finishing 6-11, the Chiefs did not get any substantial running back production last season, with no single player tallying more than 625 yards.
As a result, the Walker and Emari Demercado signings were massive for them in free agency. But now, after adding Emmett Johnson in the draft, the backfield is starting to look like a real strength for the roster.
Here’s what their full depth chart now looks like:
1) Kenneth Walker
The biggest free agent signing of the season for the Chiefs, Kenneth Walker III, was the backbone of the Seattle Seahawks offense last year. Despite the explosiveness from Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Seahawks were predominantly a run-heavy team, and Walker was a big reason why.
Ranking at number 16 on PFSN’s RB Impact Metric, he tallied his second 1,000-yard rushing season with 1,027 yards and 5 touchdowns. As a result, he projects to be their RB1, especially with the massive three-year, $43.05 million contract.
2) Emari Demercado
But a key aspect of the puzzle for the Seahawks was their two-back approach. The Chiefs could put together a similar strategy for Walker with Eric Bienemy running the show. As a result, they also signed Emari Demercado in the offseason.
Starting his career with the Arizona Cardinals, Demercado spent the first three seasons with the team, developing into an explosive threat on the ground. Last year, too, he was a force to be reckoned with, averaging 7.1 yards per carry.
3) Emmett Johnson
The latest addition to the group, Emmett Johnson, was drafted by Kansas City at 161. A Nebraska product, he took over the lead back role for the team in his final year and was immediately impactful with 1,451 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.
Moreover, he could also serve as a pass-catching threat for the Chiefs after adding 370 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. One-of-one in his impact, he was the only player to average over 150 scrimmage yards per game in college football last season.
While the asking price with Walker should keep him in the RB1 role, Johnson can be a legitimate difference maker for the Chiefs.
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4) Brashard Smith
A seventh-round pick last season, Brashard Smith did not get a ton of burn for them last season. Getting just 44 carries over the course of the year, he wasn’t a major contributor to their offense.
But during his time at SMU, he showed his talent, posting 1,332 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in his final year, along with 327 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air. Given the variety of options now in the backfield, Smith’s role could remain compromised, but he has the talent to carve out a niche for himself.
5) ShunDerrick Powell
Signed to a futures/reserve contract, ShunDerrick Powell hasn’t gotten any action in the NFL yet. An undrafted free agent for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, he didn’t make it past the final roster cuts for them, and now finds a new home with the Chiefs as a potential depth piece.
