Kenneth Walker has completely transformed the Chiefs offense in just two games

When news first came out that the Kansas City Chiefs were signing free agent running back Kenneth Walker III last offseason, I allowed myself to dream.

I dreamed of a world in which Walker, fresh off winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks and being named the MVP, would totally revitalize Kansas City’s offense.

A world in which the Chiefs’ run game would be not just meaningful but also dangerous, becoming a new weapon that would open up the passing game and give KC so many more avenues to success, a world that would give them a path back to the Super Bowl.

That dream has become a reality.

We are just two weeks into the new season, but already it’s clear that Walker is the offensive catalyst this team needed.

The 25-year-old was instrumental in Kansas City’s 33-30 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football. He had 178 yards from scrimmage—117 rushing and 61 receiving—including a crucial 22-yard catch-and-run on third down that set up the game-winning field goal in overtime.

Kenneth Walker’s historic start is getting ridiculous

It was the second week in a row that Walker dominated on offense after a two-touchdown, 191-yard game in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos, and watching him play, it was clear that the Chiefs have found their missing piece.

The level of play we’ve seen from Walker already is far beyond what I or any Chiefs fan could have dreamed of, and some of the stats from his first two games have been wild.

Through two games, Walker already has more 100-yard rushing games than Kansas City had all of last season, and his 290 yards on the ground are the most by a Chiefs running back in consecutive games since 2012.

Walker’s 390 yards from scrimmage are the most in the NFL this season, and according to Josh Dubow from the Associated Press, he is the first Chiefs player to have more than 175 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back games since Larry Johnson in 2005.

Walker never had a game of 170 yards or more in the four seasons he spent with the Seahawks, but he already has two in two games with Kansas City, and he’s on pace for more than 3,000 total yards this season.

In Week 1, Walker set a new career high for the number of forced missed tackles with 14 before breaking that record six days later against the Colts on Sunday night with 15. He already has more missed tackles than Kareem Hunt forced all of last year (28), and per PFF, Walker has been the hardest person in the NFL to tackle.

Walker has completely transformed the Chiefs’ running game

The difference in the run game this season and last season has been night and day.

The Chiefs have gone from one of the least explosive and least impressive ground games in the NFL in 2025 to one of the most impressive this year. Kansas City is second in rushing yards per game (186), and per Screwball, Walker ranks second in the league in EPA per play (0.195) and seventh in success rate.

The entire Chiefs offense looks different with Walker

Walker’s performances and his numbers have been special, but what we’ve also seen in Kansas City’s first two games is the way his presence has totally opened up the rest of the offense too.

The Chiefs averaged 214 passing yards per game (16th in the NFL) and 321 total yards on offense (20th in the NFL) last season, but both of those numbers have skyrocketed to 272 passing yards per game (5th in the NFL) and 458 total yards on offense, the most of any team.

To the eye, everything just looks so much easier now that Walker is involved.

Rushing attempts look dangerous instead of pointless, and there is less pressure on the offensive line with fewer pure pass-block snaps that D-linemen can pin their ears back on.

Patrick Mahomes has better coverages to throw against, Andy Reid has another weapon to use on crazy play designs, and receivers like Travis Kelce have more space to work in. Kelce had his first 100-yard game in more than 600 days on Sunday, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it came in a game when Walker also dominated.

Walker has been so good and so important that I seriously think he’s already in the mix as a top-five best free-agent signing in Chiefs history after just two games. He’s had that big of an impact.

His insane numbers might not be sustainable for the entire season, but Walker and Kansas City have shown the league what they’re capable of and how dangerous they can be at their peak. Other teams will have to respect the run game, and it will change the way they try and defend the Chiefs, which should open up other doors for Kansas City to attack.

Last season it felt like running back was the missing piece for the Chiefs on offense. Now they’ve found it, and it could lead them back to the Super Bowl.

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