Emmett Johnson didn’t arrive in Kansas City with the spotlight. Kenneth Walker did that when the Chiefs signed him in free agency.
Emari Demercado also came in as a veteran pass-catching option. But three games into the 2026 NFL season, the rookie out of Nebraska has already started to matter.
The Chiefs are 3-0, and Johnson has become more than a developmental piece tucked behind the depth chart. He has flashed as a runner and as a receiver, giving Kansas City another layer in the backfield while Walker handles the headline work.
Kansas City made Johnson a fifth-round pick after adding Walker and Demercado, which gave the rookie a clear path to ease into the league. He came in at 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds, and at training camp he said he planned to “outwork everybody.” He also leaned on former Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah for advice on recovery and how to handle the pro game.
That work has shown up early. In the season opener against Denver, Johnson hauled in a 25-yard catch and delivered a stiff-arm that helped set up Walker’s second touchdown in a 31-10 Chiefs win. Andy Reid had said during training camp that the young players would need to help, and Johnson was one of the rookies who answered in the opener at Arrowhead Stadium.
After that game, Johnson made his approach clear: “I’ve just got to be ready whenever the team needs me,” Johnson said after the Denver game, adding that he’s willing to block or do whatever is asked, a mindset he carried over from his time at Nebraska.
His receiving background is part of what makes him useful. Johnson caught 92 passes for 702 yards in college, and he starts each day on the JUGS machine to keep sharpening his hands, something he says goes back to high school.
The next week, in the overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson’s quickness alongside Walker helped Kansas City look like it may have one of the league’s better one-two punches in the backfield. Then on Sunday in Miami, Johnson got even more work in the Chiefs’ 24-10 road win, while Walker carried the load with 70 yards on 18 carries.
Johnson has also handled business away from football. During the draft process, he finished his Nebraska coursework and earned his degree with a 3.5 GPA as a dual major in public relations and advertising.
In Other News...
Russell Wilson Just Added Fuel To Chiefs Raiders Week 4
Russell Wilson is already putting a little extra heat on a rivalry game that usually needs no help. The former NFL quarterback said he believes the Las Vegas Raiders can upset the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, even going as far as suggesting Las Vegas could leave the afternoon matchup at 4-0. He also singled out Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins for the way he has started the season, adding another layer of buzz to a game that will be shown on CBS at 4:25 p.m. EST.
For the Chiefs, its another reminder that the margin for error in the AFC West is never very large, especially when an opponent starts drawing confidence from outside the building. Kansas City has spent years as the standard in the division, but predictions like Wilsons only sharpen the attention around a Week 4 meeting that already carried plenty of weight before anybody started talking about records and momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Andy Reid Is One Raiders Win From An Ironic Stadium Milestone
Andy Reid has already made plenty of history at Allegiant Stadium, and the next trip there offers another chance to add to it. Since the building opened, Reid has piled up six wins there, most of them coming against the Raiders, with the Chiefs Super Bowl 58 victory mixed in as well.
Reid now sits tied with former Raiders head coaches Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce for the most wins by any coach at the venue, which adds a neat layer to an already familiar matchup. One more win over Las Vegas would push him alone to the top of that list, an ironic milestone for a coach whose success in that stadium has so often come at the Raiders expense. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Face An Early AFC West Test Fans Can't Ignore
The Chiefs are heading into Week 4 with a division test that already feels bigger than a September game should. Kansas City and Las Vegas are tied atop the AFC West, and the matchup brings together two teams trying to set an early tone in a race that usually does not sort itself out until much later in the season. Between the expert predictions, the team analysis and the familiar pressure that comes with facing a divisional opponent, this one has the look of a game fans will keep an eye on all week.
For Kansas City, the intrigue goes beyond the standings and into how the roster stacks up against a Raiders team still searching for traction under new leadership. The discussion around this matchup has centered on performances, key players and coaching changes, with plenty of speculation about how the game could unfold. What matters most for the Chiefs is simple enough: a chance to protect their place in the division and get an early read on a rival that could linger in the picture all season. [Read more 🡒]