Kansas City's offense was a big disappointment last year, even before Patrick Mahomes got hurt. We've talked about the big-ticket addition (Kenneth Walker) here previously, but a brief note about one of the secondary players.
If you're skeptical about Walker, as some were, it's reasonable to wonder if one of the other backs currently on the roster will be a factor. At the moment they've got two of note, last year's seventh-rounder Brashard Smith, and former Cardinal Emari Demercado.
(Kareem Hunt is still unsigned, so maybe they'll bring him back yet again. But for now, I'm just looking at the guys actually on the roster.)
Smith being a seventh-round pick need not be a deal-breaker. So was Isiah Pacheco, after all, and they made him their starter for a couple of years. But I tend to see him in primarily a passing-downs role. As a rookie he averaged under 3 carries per game and managed just 3.4 per attempt, but caught 25 passes for 172 yards and a score. He averaged more receiving yards per game than rushing last season (10-9).
Demercado was a modest signing ($1.25 million); not a given he makes the team. But he's been explosive with his chances his first three seasons, averaging 6.5 per attempt. That's best among the 87 running backs with at least 100 carries over the past three season. (Table shows the top 50.)
| RUNNING BACK TOTAL STATS, 2023-2025 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Att | Run | No | Rec | TD | Avg |
| Emari Demercado, Ari. | 40 | 126 | 819 | 50 | 324 | 4 | 6.5 |
| Keaton Mitchell, Balt. | 26 | 121 | 767 | 19 | 184 | 3 | 6.3 |
| DeVon Achane, Mia. | 44 | 544 | 3057 | 172 | 1277 | 35 | 5.6 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 49 | 675 | 3580 | 181 | 1449 | 49 | 5.3 |
| Derrick Henry, Balt. | 51 | 912 | 4683 | 62 | 557 | 46 | 5.1 |
| TreVeyon Henderson, N.E. | 17 | 180 | 911 | 35 | 221 | 10 | 5.1 |
| James Cook, Buff. | 50 | 753 | 3752 | 109 | 994 | 38 | 5.0 |
| Jordan Mason, Min. | 45 | 352 | 1753 | 28 | 173 | 12 | 5.0 |
| Bijan Robinson, Atl. | 51 | 805 | 3910 | 198 | 1738 | 34 | 4.9 |
| Jaleel McLaughlin, Den. | 41 | 226 | 1093 | 59 | 263 | 7 | 4.8 |
| J.K. Dobbins, Den. | 24 | 356 | 1699 | 45 | 205 | 14 | 4.8 |
| Justice Hill, Balt. | 41 | 149 | 708 | 91 | 758 | 11 | 4.8 |
| Jonathan Taylor, Ind. | 41 | 795 | 3757 | 83 | 667 | 40 | 4.7 |
| Saquon Barkley, Phil. | 46 | 872 | 4107 | 111 | 831 | 34 | 4.7 |
| Blake Corum, LAR | 34 | 203 | 953 | 15 | 94 | 6 | 4.7 |
| Jaylen Warren, Pitt. | 48 | 480 | 2253 | 139 | 1013 | 13 | 4.7 |
| James Conner, Ari. | 32 | 476 | 2229 | 82 | 617 | 20 | 4.7 |
| Chris Rodriguez, Was. | 35 | 198 | 920 | 6 | 54 | 10 | 4.6 |
| Kyle Monangai, Chi. | 17 | 169 | 783 | 18 | 164 | 5 | 4.6 |
| Kyren Williams, LAR | 45 | 803 | 3695 | 102 | 669 | 44 | 4.6 |
| Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Was. | 17 | 175 | 805 | 9 | 68 | 8 | 4.6 |
| Samaje Perine, Cin. | 49 | 157 | 712 | 95 | 864 | 6 | 4.5 |
| Christian McCaffrey, S.F. | 37 | 633 | 2863 | 184 | 1634 | 38 | 4.5 |
| Ty Johnson, Buff. | 44 | 121 | 545 | 49 | 609 | 10 | 4.5 |
| Bucky Irving, T.B. | 27 | 380 | 1710 | 77 | 669 | 12 | 4.5 |
| Rico Dowdle, Car. | 49 | 560 | 2516 | 95 | 690 | 16 | 4.5 |
| Emanuel Wilson, G.B. | 41 | 242 | 1083 | 30 | 170 | 8 | 4.5 |
| Tank Bigsby, 2TM | 50 | 281 | 1254 | 11 | 92 | 11 | 4.5 |
| David Montgomery, Det. | 45 | 562 | 2506 | 76 | 650 | 33 | 4.5 |
| Aaron Jones, Min. | 40 | 529 | 2342 | 109 | 840 | 13 | 4.4 |
| Raheem Mostert, L.V. | 40 | 316 | 1394 | 56 | 406 | 23 | 4.4 |
| Omarion Hampton, LAC | 9 | 124 | 545 | 32 | 192 | 5 | 4.4 |
| D'Andre Swift, Chi. | 49 | 705 | 3095 | 115 | 899 | 22 | 4.4 |
| Jerome Ford, Cle. | 44 | 332 | 1451 | 107 | 647 | 12 | 4.4 |
| Kenneth Gainwell, Pitt. | 50 | 273 | 1191 | 119 | 785 | 11 | 4.4 |
| Breece Hall, NYJ | 49 | 675 | 2935 | 169 | 1424 | 22 | 4.3 |
| Chase Brown, Cin. | 45 | 505 | 2188 | 137 | 953 | 23 | 4.3 |
| Antonio Gibson, N.E. | 38 | 210 | 909 | 73 | 601 | 6 | 4.3 |
| Sean Tucker, T.B. | 45 | 151 | 651 | 19 | 152 | 11 | 4.3 |
| Khalil Herbert, NYJ | 33 | 184 | 793 | 31 | 163 | 4 | 4.3 |
| Tyrone Tracy, NYG | 32 | 368 | 1579 | 74 | 572 | 10 | 4.3 |
| Brian Robinson, S.F. | 46 | 457 | 1932 | 64 | 552 | 19 | 4.2 |
| Kenneth Walker, Sea. | 43 | 593 | 2505 | 106 | 840 | 22 | 4.2 |
| Isiah Pacheco, K.C. | 34 | 406 | 1707 | 75 | 424 | 12 | 4.2 |
| Tony Pollard, Ten. | 50 | 754 | 3166 | 129 | 755 | 16 | 4.2 |
| Ray Davis, Buff. | 34 | 171 | 717 | 27 | 275 | 9 | 4.2 |
| Chuba Hubbard, Car. | 47 | 622 | 2608 | 112 | 627 | 20 | 4.2 |
| Audric Estime, N.O. | 20 | 122 | 508 | 17 | 130 | 3 | 4.2 |
| Michael Carter, Ari. | 31 | 157 | 651 | 68 | 425 | 3 | 4.1 |
| Zach Charbonnet, Sea. | 49 | 427 | 1761 | 95 | 693 | 22 | 4.1 |
So there's Demercado up there with a few of the very best backs in the league. I'm not suggesting he's the same caliber as any of those backs; he'd certainly have got more work in Arizona last year if he was. But 6.5 per attempt isn't nothing. Maybe he emerges as the No. 2 behind a starter who some don't think is particularly likely to stay healthy. We'll see who Kansas City drafts (or signs afterward), but maybe Demercado comes into some value.
--Andy Richardson
