Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III dominated the Broncos in his debut. Walker ran the ball 23 times for 173 yards, including a 60-yard TD. He also caught three of 6 targets for 18 yards and an additional TD. He looked similar to the Super Bowl MVP we saw last season with Walker and appears to be the focal point of the offense.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact
Walker handled 74.1% of the RB carries with rookie Emmett Johnson handling the rest. That points to a lead back role for Walker (who ran seven times in the first drive itself).
Walker’s success did appear to cut into WR Rashee Rice’s role as the short receiving option (who essentially replaced the run game last season). Rice caught both of his targets for 19 yards and a TD.
Expect Walker as a must-start top-10 RB option every week going forward, regardless of matchup.
