During the 2026 NFL offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs needed to address the running back position. They did so by signing reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to a three-year, $43 million deal in March. The team was not done, though, as they drafted another running back in the fifth round of the NFL Draft: Emmett Johnson.
Walker tweaked his groin this week and has been ruled out for the team’s Week Ten game against the Atlanta Falcons. This makes Johnson the Chiefs’ leading running back right now. Many will look at his rushing stats and form their own opinion of his production, but Johnson can play a much more important role on the offense than many realize.
Emmett Johnson: RB1?
Johnson had the biggest game of his rookie year so far in Kansas City’s Week Eight loss to the Denver Broncos. He ran only once for 15 yards. It was an impressive run, but what was surprising about his performance was what he offered in the passing game. Johnson caught five passes for 128 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown.
Despite the team’s disastrous final quarter, Johnson had given the team a glimmer of hope. He followed that performance up with his first rushing touchdown of his career against the New York Jets. His style of play has impressed the team and the fans alike, with many complimenting his elusiveness and missed-tackle potential.
There has been concern about Walker’s current workload and whether he will have sustained success later into the season and into the postseason. Although missing this game is due to an injury, the Chiefs are being cautious. This is a good thing considering Walker is their best offensive weapon.
Both of Kansas City’s losses were in games in which Walker was shut down, rushing for under 70 yards and no touchdowns in both games. The passing attack is presumably better now than it was in those games, as they traded for wide receiver Josh Downs. If Johnson can prove to be a reliable rusher, the team won’t have to force-feed Walker anymore.
The Importance Of A Pass-Catching RB
Johnson can prove himself this Sunday, but his best qualities have already been seen in his prior performances. Walker may be the best running back the Chiefs have had since Jamaal Charles, but Johnson offers something the team has been missing for the last two seasons: A dynamic pass-catching running back.
Kansas City is no stranger to pass-catching running backs, utilising one in all five Super Bowl runs so far in the Patrick Mahomes era. Jerick McKinnon has been the most successful, catching 110 passes for 1,024 yards and 15 touchdowns in three seasons for the Chiefs, including the postseason. 2022 was his most explosive year, with 61 receptions, 544 passing yards, and nine touchdowns in the regular and postseason.
McKinnon was not retained after the 2023 season, and Kansas City has not had a player like him since. They signed Samaje Perine in 2024, who caught 28 passes for 322 yards and a touchdown, but did not keep him for 2025. The team’s offensive production has dipped since losing this archetype of running back, and now they have one again.
In 2022 and 2023, Mahomes’ receivers consisted of Kadarius Toney, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson, and Skyy Moore. With the addition of Josh Downs, the current group of receivers is arguably better than that. McKinnon helped immensely to keep the pass game going in those years, and Johnson can fill that role perfectly.
End Of My Emmett Johnson Rant
If Kansas City wants to prove they are not over-reliant on Walker, then this is a great opportunity. With Downs, the passing game may be a viable option to move the ball rather than just a strong rushing attack. Losing this game could derail their season and severely hurt their chances of losing the division, but winning would give this team immense confidence going forward. It is all up to Johnson.
