Arrival of Kenneth Walker sets pecking order; Demercado brings big-play upside and small sample size
The Kansas City Chiefs enter training camp with a running-back room that is both deeper and more uncertain than it was a year ago. The club’s offseason additions make one position clear — Kenneth Walker is the lead back — but they also leave an open question: how will Emari Demercado fit behind him?
Demercado, 27, joined the Chiefs this offseason after three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. By the numbers he is one of the most explosive backs in recent memory: over his three NFL seasons he averaged 6.5 yards per carry, the highest mark in the Super Bowl era among players with at least 100 carries. He also led the league in 2025 with 5.52 yards after contact per attempt and averaged 7.1 yards per carry in that campaign.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Yards per carry (career) | 6.5 |
| Yards after contact per attempt (2025) | 5.52 |
| Yards per carry (2025) | 7.1 |
| Career receptions | 50 |
| Career touches (single season, max) | 79 |
| Most rushing yards in a season | 315 |
| Starts | 2 in 40 appearances |
Yet the picture is not without caveats. Demercado’s overall usage has been limited: he has never recorded more than 79 touches in a single season or topped 315 rushing yards in a campaign. He has shown receiving ability, with 50 career receptions, but his résumé remains thin by conventional volume measures. He is also most remembered for a singular play — a 72-yard breakaway run that ended in a touchback after he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line.
"The explosive production is real, but are the limitations of Demercado?"
That tension — high efficiency and sporadic usage — frames the Chiefs’ roster decisions heading into camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. Kansas City added Demercado from Arizona, drafted Emmett Johnson in the fifth round from Nebraska and signed a pair of undrafted free agents, but recent reporting makes one thing clear: Walker is the No. 1 back.
- Walker’s role projects as the primary ball carrier and early-down option.
- Demercado offers explosive playmaking on limited touches and as a pass catcher.
- Emmett Johnson and undrafted signees will compete for depth and special-teams roles.
For Kansas City, the decision is practical as much as schematic. The Chiefs must balance the desire to maximize big-play potential with the need for reliable, durable workhorses behind an offense that will again chase improvement in the run game. Demercado’s efficiency numbers demand attention, but the club must also weigh his limited sample size and history of low volume against the physical toll of a full NFL season.
Training camp and preseason reps will be critical. The coaching staff will evaluate how Demercado handles route work, blitz pickup, pass protection and consistency across multiple carries — areas where limited prior usage leaves questions unanswered. For Kansas City fans, the answers will shape not just depth charts but how the offense is built around Patrick Mahomes and the returning supporting cast.
As the team convenes in St. Joseph, the running back room will be one of the first positions where preseason clarity could emerge — or where new questions may take hold.
