Emmett Johnson’s first NFL game for the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t jump off the page in the box score, but the deeper read tells a more encouraging story.
In Kansas City’s 31-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday night, the former Nebraska standout worked as the backup behind Kenneth Walker, who handled 26 touches and gave the Chiefs a rare true workhorse presence at running back. Johnson still got his own chances, logging 10 touches, which could be a sign that Andy Reid’s offense is starting to settle into a new kind of backfield rotation this season.
For a player who was a surprisingly late-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Monday was an important first step. Johnson and Walker were the only running backs to see the field for Kansas City, and that alone says plenty about where Johnson stands after a strong preseason.
The questions were about role and workload. For now, he looks like the clear No. 2 option and someone the Chiefs trust to handle the NFL grind.
His production on the ground was modest: 8 carries for 24 yards. The 3 yards per carry won’t wow anyone, and it may leave some Nebraska fans uneasy.
But the better part of his night came as a receiver. Johnson caught 2 passes for 44 yards, and that’s where he looked like the player who broke out for Nebraska in 2025.
Both receptions came on short dump-offs, and both turned into much more than they should have. He caught a 25-yard pass and a 19-yard reception, using quickness, balance, and the kind of slippery movement that made him so tough to corral in college.
One play showed him slipping through contact for a big gain. The other featured him spinning out of one tackle and avoiding another before racing ahead.
Those weren’t clean touches with acres of space. They were plays in traffic, and Johnson still turned them into chunk gains.
That matters. Even with the limited rushing numbers, the passing-game work suggests the bigger runs may be coming soon enough.
The schedule could also give Johnson another opening. Kansas City is on a short week after Monday night and plays the Colts on Sunday, and Walker’s heavy workload against Denver could push the Chiefs to lean more on Johnson in Week 2.
In Other News...
Nebraska Faces Its First Real Test Up Front Against North Dakota
Saturday night gives Nebraska a different kind of measuring stick, one that goes beyond the record column. The Cornhuskers and North Dakota both arrive at 3-0, but the point spread and the setting still put the spotlight squarely on how Nebraska handles a visiting team that has earned its way into the conversation. The game on the Big Ten Network should also offer a clearer look at where the Huskers really stand as the schedule starts asking harder questions up front.
North Dakota brings a quarterback in Jerry Kaminski who has given the opposition a reason to pay attention, and that is where Nebraskas defense starts to matter most. Just as important, the Cornhuskers offensive line will be under the microscope in a game that should say a lot about whether Nebraska can control the line of scrimmage the way it wants to. A lopsided line on paper does not erase the need for a clean performance in a matchup that feels like the first real test of physicality. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Colandrea Is Forcing A Bigger Nebraska Offense Debate
Anthony Colandreas fast start has given Nebraska something it did not have to think too hard about in September: whether this offense is ready to do more than simply survive possessions. After earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors for a sharp showing against Bowling Green, he has helped the Cornhuskers move the ball with unusual ease through two games, piling up 553 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns while pushing the unit into the national top 15.
Now the conversation shifts from production to possibility as Nebraska gets ready for North Dakota. The numbers suggest a team with more answers than questions on offense, but they also raise the bigger issue that comes with any breakout start: how much of this should be built around Colandrea, and how much more can the Cornhuskers ask of the group if this pace holds? [Read more 🡒]
Holgorsen Sends Clear Message To Nebraska Wideouts Despite Fast Start
Nebraskas offense has opened the 2026 season with a cleaner look through the air, and Dana Holgorsen is seeing enough progress to point to the passing game as a real early strength. The Cornhuskers offensive coordinator said the team has been more accurate and more efficient in the first two weeks, while also noting that the group still has work to do up front with protection and the kind of blocking penalties that can stall drives before they get rolling.
Holgorsen also used the conversation to zoom in on the next layer of growth, especially in the receiver room as Nebraska prepares for North Dakota. Running backs have already added value in the passing game, and Nyziah Hunter was singled out as a player Holgorsen wants to see do more with his opportunities. The fast start is encouraging, but the message from the coordinator was clear: the offense can still be sharper, and the wideouts are part of that next push. [Read more 🡒]