The Chiefs spent the offseason trying to fix a running back room that didn’t do enough in 2025, and training camp has already started sorting out who matters most. Kenneth Walker has emerged as the clear headliner, Emmett Johnson has built momentum, and Brashard Smith has quietly complicated the picture. That leaves Emari Demercado in an awkward spot as preseason game No. 2 approaches.
Walker has been the steady presence since camp opened. He looks lined up to handle the lead role and bring the big-play element Kansas City has been missing.
Johnson has also made a strong push, flashing throughout camp and backing it up in the first preseason game with 59 rushing yards and a steady ability to break tackles. Smith, meanwhile, was the surprise in that opener, getting the nod ahead of both Johnson and Demercado.
Demercado’s case always seemed to rest on one thing: pass protection. With Patrick Mahomes coming back from a major knee injury, the thinking was that Kansas City could lean on the veteran to handle third-down work and keep the quarterback clean, even if other backs offered more juice with the ball. But the Chiefs haven’t treated him like a priority through camp or in the first preseason game, where he didn’t enter until late and finished with just 3 carries for 9 yards.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Chiefs have moved off him. It’s possible they view Demercado as a trusted piece they already know well, one they don’t need to showcase in August because his value is more about what he does without the ball. In that scenario, he could still end up in the passing-down role once the games count, while Johnson and Smith continue getting the more visible reps.
But there’s another possibility too: Kansas City may simply prefer the overall packages of Johnson and Smith. Reid has leaned toward the “safe” back before, but if the Chiefs are serious about raising the level of production in the backfield, they could be more willing to shuffle their usual approach.
The roster math makes the situation even more interesting. Walker looks locked in, and Johnson has done enough as a 2026 draft pick to feel secure. That could leave Smith and Demercado fighting for the final spot if the Chiefs decide they need room elsewhere.
So when Kansas City faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Demercado’s usage will be worth watching closely. Does he get more work?
Does he stay behind Smith and Johnson again? Or does the Chiefs’ plan make it clear that he’s still the back they trust most when Mahomes needs protection?
However it shakes out, the bigger picture is clear: Kansas City appears to have a much better running back room than it did a year ago.
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Chiefs Preseason Loss Still Put Two Young Offensive Names On Notice
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Emmett Johnson gave the offense a lift with a touchdown in the second preseason game against the Buccaneers, while second-year receiver Jalen Royals led Kansas City in receiving yards. Andy Reid liked what he saw from Royals, and both players are trying to position themselves as useful role pieces for the 2026 season, even if the preseason result itself did not go Kansas City's way. [Read more 🡒]