There a lot of takes floating around out there about Kansas City running backs. You can find an opinion to support almost any view. It's a little dizzying, and I guess I'm in the wait-and-see camp on a lot of these players.
Free-agent signing (and Super Bowl MVP) Kenneth Walker is the big ticket item. There are people confident he'll be a workhorse in Andy Reid's offense, and are drafting him as such -- early second round. I like Walker, but that looks too optimistic. Last year was the first year he stayed fully healthy all season, and it's reasonable to think that part of that was because Seattle limited his touches and playing time, using Zach Charbonnet in passing situations and around the end zone.
Those who draft Walker as early as he's going in some places are hoping for a workhorse role, but it's assuming a lot to think that Reid and company will ignore what worked best for Seattle.
Kansas City has no less than three reasonable possibilities to pick up a share of the workload: last year's seventh-rounder Brashard Smith, free-agent signing Emari Demercado, and this year's fifth-rounder Emmett Johnson (pictured). All are possibilities to play in passing situations, lightening Walker's role in that area.
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 as a rookie, Smith's usage was almost strictly passing downs: he averaged under 3 carries per game and wasn't particularly effective running it (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), but I'm seeing a take being reported now that he makes the most sense as the No. 2. And true, the former Cardinal has 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; Walker, Charbonnet and Pacheco, as it happens, are near the bottom end of that group.)
| 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 |
Demercado, then, deserves some respect as a possible No. 2. But working against are the fact he's making close to the veteran's minimum and has averaged just 42 carries his first three seasons in the league. Seems ambitious to me to imagine Kansas City envisions him as the starter if Walker breaks down, and he's basically got a one-in-three chance of even being the No. 2.
That brings us to Emmett Johnson, drafted by the current regime. I'm not sure he'll even be drafted in some leagues, particularly if there's stories floating around instead recommending Demercado. But I selected him in my rookie draft early this summer, and he's the guy I think has the most potential to pay off.
At Nebraska last year, Johnson was a workhorse: 251 carries for 1,451 yards and 12 TDs. He was also a busy receiver: 46 catches for 370 yards and 3 more touchdowns. He caught 39 passes and 2 TDs the previous season. Demercado never caught 15 passes in a college season, and averages 17 catches in his first three NFL seasons.
It doesn't seem like I'll be able to draft Walker, based on my rankings and how early he's going thus far. But I'll be interested in throwing a later pick at Johnson. Demercado or Smith...anything is possible, but I'll probably be taking a chance on the rookie and seeing what happens. There's just not enough there with either of those veterans to make me confident they'd have much chance of being featured if Walker gets hurt. We'll see if the preseason changes my mind.
--Andy Richardson
