The Kansas City Chiefs entered the 2026 offseason with a clear mandate: fix the running game. After a disappointing 2025 season where the ground attack ranked near the bottom of the NFL in efficiency and explosiveness, the front office overhauled the position group in free agency and the draft. Gone are the days of a plodding committee led by veterans and a struggling lead back. In their place is a dynamic, young unit headlined by a proven big-play threat. Here’s how the new Chiefs running backs stack up against last year’s group.
The 2025 Chiefs relied on a three-headed approach that produced volume but lacked juice. The unit as a whole struggled with yards per carry, long runs, and creating missed tackles, contributing to a 6-11 record and an offense that couldn’t consistently control games on the ground.
Key contributors included:
- Kareem Hunt: The veteran workhorse led the backfield with 163 carries for 611 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and a team-high 8 rushing touchdowns across 17 games. He added 18 receptions for 143 yards. Hunt provided toughness and short-yardage reliability, but his longest run was just 33 yards, and he forced only 7 missed tackles.
- Isiah Pacheco: The former lead back appeared in 13 games (12 starts), rushing 118 times for 462 yards (3.9 ypc) and 1 touchdown. His longest run was a modest 16 yards. Pacheco added 19 receptions but dealt with inefficiency and limited big-play ability—no rushes of 20+ yards all season. He eventually signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency.
- Brashard Smith: The 2025 seventh-round rookie out of SMU showed promise as a pass-catcher with 25 receptions (on 35 targets) but was limited on the ground: 44 carries for 151 yards (3.4 ypc) and no touchdowns in 17 games. His longest run was 14 yards.
Supporting pieces like Dameon Pierce and Keaontay Ingram saw minimal action. Overall, the group managed just a handful of explosive plays, with the Chiefs’ rushing attack ranking 25th in yards per game and lacking the dynamism to complement Patrick Mahomes. Low yards after contact and poor efficiency plagued the room, forcing the offense into predictable passing situations.
Chiefs GM Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid addressed the issues head-on. They let Pacheco, Hunt, and Pierce walk in free agency, re-signed no one from the old core except Smith, and brought in high-upside talent via free agency and the draft. The result is a deeper, faster, more versatile group built for explosive plays and multi-phase contributions.
Current Projected Depth Chart (as of late April 2026):
- Kenneth Walker III (FA signing from Seahawks)
- Emari Demercado (FA signing from Cardinals)
- Emmett Johnson (2026 fifth-round draft pick, Nebraska)
- Brashard Smith (returning 2025 rookie) Depth includes UDFAs and practice squad options like ShunDerrick Powell.
Head-to-Head Comparison: Explosiveness vs. Grind
- Lead Back Upgrade: Kenneth Walker III is the clear headliner and a massive step forward from the 2025 Pacheco/Hunt duo. In 2025 with Seattle, Walker rushed for 1,027 yards on 221 carries (4.6 ypc) with 5 touchdowns and added 31 receptions for 282 yards. He was named Super Bowl MVP after a standout performance (27 carries, 135 yards). Walker’s elite elusiveness—forced missed tackles on 30.2% of touches (3rd in NFL)—brings the big-play ability the Chiefs sorely missed. No 2025 Chief RB had consistent 20+ yard runs; Walker routinely produces them. His three-year, $43 million deal (with $28.7 million guaranteed) signals confidence he’ll be the bell-cow.
- Depth and Versatility: Emari Demercado (signed in March 2026) adds a proven change-of-pace element. Over his career with Arizona, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry on 126 attempts with strong receiving chops (50 catches for 324 yards). In limited 2025 action, he showed burst (7.1 ypc in one snapshot). He’s a perfect complement to Walker.
- Rookie Infusion: Fifth-rounder Emmett Johnson out of Nebraska is an immediate depth-chart shaker. In 2025, he led the Big Ten in rushing (1,451 yards on 251 carries, 5.8 ypc, 12 TDs) while adding 46 receptions for 370 yards and 3 scores. He topped the FBS in all-purpose yards per game (151.8). Johnson’s vision, receiving skills, and explosiveness give him a shot at RB2/3 duties right away.
- The Holdover: Brashard Smith returns as the lone 2025 regular. His receiving prowess (already proven) fits the new scheme, though he’ll battle Johnson and Demercado for touches on the ground.
Key Improvements:
- Efficiency and Explosiveness: 2025’s 3.4–3.9 ypc average and zero sustained big plays are replaced by Walker’s proven 4.6+ ypc and Johnson’s college pedigree. The new group should generate more yards after contact and force defenses to respect the run.
- Youth and Durability: Walker (25) and Johnson (rookie) inject speed and upside, while Demercado (27) brings experience without the mileage of Hunt (now 31 in 2026).
- Scheme Fit: Andy Reid’s offense thrives with versatile backs who can catch and run. The 2026 room aligns perfectly—unlike the 2025 grind-it-out style that produced modest results.
This isn’t just a tweak—it’s a philosophical shift toward a more balanced, explosive offense. Kenneth Walker III gives Mahomes a true home-run threat out of the backfield, while the depth behind him (Demercado’s shiftiness, Johnson’s all-purpose game, and Smith’s hands) prevents the injuries and inconsistencies that plagued 2025. Preseason battles will sort the exact rotation, but early projections have Walker as an every-down workhorse with the supporting cast providing fresh legs and matchup nightmares.
The Chiefs’ ground game went from a liability to a potential strength. If the new backs deliver, Kansas City could return to Super Bowl contention with a revitalized identity.
