The Kansas City Chiefs have been dormant when it comes to explosive plays from the running back position. That stretches into the last few years. In fact, Patrick Mahomes was one of the main forces driving whatever the rushing attack could muster last year. As amazing as he is, he should not have to shoulder the entire load offensively.
To counteract that, the Chiefs immediately went out and brought in Kenneth Walker III in free agency this offseason. The Super Bowl LX MVP can dance out of tight areas and bounce off defenders for extra yards. Kansas City will look to lean on him as Mahomes recovers from injury. At the same time, the Chiefs appear ready to dive into more under-center snaps in 2026.
The rest of the running back room is filled with open opportunities for RB2 snaps. Emari Demercado was a cheap signing this offseason as well, though not much buzz has surrounded his training camp. He did not stand out whatsoever in the first preseason game, either.
Brashard Smith is entering his second season. His receiving and kick return abilities are what would likely get him on the field most often.
Finally, you have rookie fifth-round pick Emmett Johnson. Johnson has a fun playing style to add to the room behind Walker III. He single-handedly carried the Nebraska offense at times during his college career. And his first taste of preseason action displayed that Johnson may have even been the best running back on the Chiefs had he been on the team in 2025.
Johnson's tantalizing skill set coming out of college
Johnson offers a mix of impressive burst and long speed coming out of college. The way in which he runs is sturdy, though his pad level may need an adjustment entering the pro game. As you watch some of his top moments at Nebraska, there is no doubt that he is a smart, decisive runner. His vision is better than that of other running back prospects who were drafted in April. Combined with his change-of-direction skills and power between the tackles, his vision often allowed him to set defenders up for ugly whiffs and missed tackle attempts.
The big question for Johnson entering the league is his passing-down prowess. Kansas City is hoping to get back to a more impactful screen-passing game this season. Perhaps any initial production from Johnson can be tied to that area. He will have to prove he can be an asset for his quarterback while running routes. Being in an environment with coaches like Eric Bieniemy and DeMarco Murray places him in an excellent position to improve.
The ceiling for Emmett Johnson
It is not all that shocking to say Johnson can enter Week 1 of the regular season as this year's RB2. If so, he can immediately touch his ceiling when it comes to his rookie role in 2026. Spelling Walker III on rushing opportunities gives the Chiefs a similar rushing style to what they paid for when adding the big-ticket free agent. Johnson can mirror the burst and speed that Walker III offers in space. To boot, this rookie is familiar with tosses, cutbacks, and split-zone runs coming out of Nebraska.
Rough statistical projections for Johnson are challenging to imagine. Some have noted Walker III being banged up at times in his career. However, the former Seahawk only missed more than two games once during his Seattle tenure. The fewest games he played was 11 in 2024. Kansas City will have to find the balance between giving Walker III enough touches and keeping him fresh. Johnson can help balance that workload. If the rookie is able to amass 500-plus rushing yards and at least 100 receiving yards in his debut season, that would be considered a massive win at the start of his career.
The floor for Emmett Johnson
The floor for Johnson begins with his playing time. He is not expected to lead the team in carries if everyone stays healthy. Yet Johnson being left off the field completely and receiving very few touches in 2026 would still be stunning. At this point, his not surpassing Demercado and especially Smith in rushing opportunities would be highly discouraging. The Chiefs treating him as they did Jalen Royals last season, despite the two playing different positions, would represent a terrible floor for Johnson.
If you are not seeing Johnson get chances in the middle of the field or occasionally in plus territory, that would be disappointing. Those are prime areas in which he could potentially spell Walker III if necessary.
His floor would also include making an impact solely as a secondary rusher. Providing no bonus as a receiving back in 2026 could truly limit how explosive the Chiefs want to be at running back. Johnson does not have to become the leading pass catcher at the position. He just cannot be useless in that area. The team's rate of explosive plays needs to increase. Any lack of juice from the position in the passing game overall could deflate some of the progress made during a possible rebound season.
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