With the calendar flipping to April and the first month of NFL free agency in the rearview mirror, it’s a good time to check out the Kansas City Chiefs’ running back room.
After getting underwhelming performances from Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt last season, everyone knew the Chiefs had to upgrade their ground game to be successful in 2026. Earlier this offseason, there was a belief that Kansas City could use its first-round pick on Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.Â
However, the Chiefs had other ideas for the running back room, as they opened up their wallet and signed Kenneth Walker III to a huge three-year, $43.05 million contract. In addition to Walker, Kansas City also signed Emari Demercado to a one-year deal, who could be the Chiefs’ RB2 if Brashard Smith doesn’t take that next step. Smith is the lone returning running back from KC’s 53-man roster, as Hunt, Pacheco, and Dameon Pierce are all free agents.
Below, we’ll break down the Chiefs’ current running back depth chart, how we think things could shake out, and if Kansas City needs to make another addition in free agency or the draft.
Early Chiefs RB Room Projections
RB1 — Kenneth Walker III
Walker immediately steps in as the unquestioned RB1 and an upgrade over Pacheco and Hunt, which should give the Chiefs’ rushing attack more juice and explosiveness. Walker had a fantastic 2025 season. He helped lead the Seahawks to win Super Bowl 60 and was named Super Bowl MVP.
Last season with the Seahawks, Walker crossed the 1,000-yard threshold (1,027) for only the second time in his career and scored five rushing touchdowns. In addition to his work on the ground, Walker was a playmaker as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Walker recorded 31 receptions (36 targets) for 282 yards.
Over his last three seasons with the Seahawks, the veteran running back has had at least 200 receiving yards. The Chiefs will love adding Walker’s playmaking to the offense, as they had to depend on Pacheco and Hunt to do the job of one player.
With Patrick Mahomes working his way back from a season-ending knee injury, having a lead back like Walker will take a lot of pressure off the superstar QB and hopefully make the Chiefs’ offense that much more unpredictable.
RB2/3 – Emari Demercado/Brashard Smith
The 27-year-old Demercado isn’t a household name as he’s spent the last three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. However, he gives Kansas City another versatile running back, who also has some speed.
Coming out of TCU, Demercado ran a 4.4 40-yard dash, which is good for a running back at his size (5-foot-9, 215 pounds). He went undrafted following the 2023 draft, but has carved out a niche for himself as a change-of-pace option out of the backfield.
Demercado has averaged 58.7 touches and 381 scrimmage yards per season. Last year with the Cardinals, he had his best season running the ball with 312 yards on 44 carries (7.1 yards per carry). Arizona needed it due to the litany of injuries they’ve dealt with. He also found a way to be involved in the passing game, accumulating 13 receptions (20 targets) for 101 yards and a touchdown.
His skillset is similar to Brashard Smith, making his a battle worth paying attention to. Speaking of Smith, the rookie didn’t have the most spectacular first season in the NFL. But the fact that he made the team and stayed on the 53-man roster as a seventh-round pick is impressive.
Now, can Smith take the next step in development under the direction of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and new RBs coach Demarco Murray? That’s the next question. Last season, he didn’t get many opportunities on the ground (151 yards on 44 carries), but with his speed and background as a WR, the Chiefs got him the ball as a pass catcher.
Regardless of who wins or loses this competition, we should expect both guys to be utilized by Bieniemy.
RB4 — ShunDerrick Powell
The Chiefs also have ShunDerrick Powell on the roster, who was signed to a futures deal at the end of the season after spending. He racked up 4,021 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns on 551 carries during time spent with North Alabama and Central Arkansas, and could be a potential practice squad call-up candidate if he can survive the summer in Kansas City.
There's Still Room for Improvement
The Chiefs’ running back room is supremely better on paper than it was last year, and hopefully, that means better days on the horizon. That being said, it wouldn’t hurt for them to entertain the idea of signing a UDFA or bringing in another veteran, who is a physical, in-between-the-tackles RB a la Pacheco.
While it’s nice to have Demercado and Smith, if Walker were to go down, could you trust either of those guys to carry a huge workload? If the answer is no, then Kansas City should look to make one more move.