Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III has unleashed a new aspect of the team’s offense, reinvigorating the once-dormant rushing game.
The team shared some news on Walker’s hot start, noting that he stands alone atop the leaderboard for several key offensive categories. The team’s offseason acquisition of the reigning Super Bowl MVP has been one of the biggest contributors to their hot start, jumping out to 2-0 in a reverse of last year’s early season struggles.
Kenneth Walker Leads NFL Amid Monster Start
As the team shared in a post on X, Walker has been one of the NFL’s most productive running backs through the first two weeks of the season.
“Heading into Week 3, [Kenneth Walker] leads the league in rushing yards, scrimmage yards, broken tackles, and yards after contact,” the team noted.
Walker has become the bell cow back for the Chiefs, a role that he was unable to play with the Seattle Seahawks and one the Chiefs avoided as they employed a running back by committee in recent years. He has taken to the role well, racking up 47 carries through two weeks and rushing for 290 yards with one touchdown.
Chiefs Face Warning on Kenneth Walker III Workload
Though Walker has been able to sustain his big workload through the first two games, ESPN’s Nate Taylor suggested that the team will soon need to cut back on his carries to sustain him for the season.
“It’s understandable why coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy wanted to put the ball in Walker’s hands early and often,” Taylor wrote. “Of course, Patrick Mahomes was returning from torn ligaments in his left knee, and undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson started at left tackle with Josh Simmons out because of a lower back injury. Walker, though, shouldn’t continue to have 26 to 30 touches every game. The Chiefs also should give more opportunities to rookie Emmett Johnson, who has been productive in his limited carries.”
The Chiefs have also hinted that they want to get more carries for Johnson in the coming weeks.
Even if the team does pull back on Walker’s workload, his early season contributions have been critical as they allowed quarterback Patrick Mahomes to come back slowly from a torn ACL that cut short his 2025 season. Mahomes shook off a slow start in Week 1 and has shined since then, throwing for 566 total yards with five touchdowns through two weeks.
Chiefs Share Kenneth Walker III News Amid Running Back’s Hot Start