Kenneth Walker III, our very own Super Bowl LX MVP from last season, is officially sidelined. Kansas City has ruled out their star running back for the Week 10 road matchup against the Atlanta Falcons after he suffered a groin injury in practice Friday. This is a massive hit for the Chiefs, who are about to find out just how deep they really are at running back without the guy who accounts for a staggering 79.1% of their total rushing yards.
Walker’s Production Is Flat Out Insane
This season, Walker has been a one-man wrecking crew for Kansas City. Through just eight games, he’s already got 872 rushing yards, placing him second in the entire NFL. He’s scored seven touchdowns on the ground, averaging a career-high 5.5 yards per carry. But he’s not just a runner. Walker has also hauled in 26 receptions for 172 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns, ranking him third on the Chiefs in receptions. When you break it down, Walker has accounted for a jaw-dropping 79.1% of Kansas City’s total rushing yards this season, which stands at 1,102. That’s a huge piece of their offense gone, an offense that currently sits second in the NFL in total yards with 384.1 per game, is tied for fourth in rushing yards at 137.8 per game, and ranks 10th in both passing yards with 246.4 per game and points at 25.3 per game. How do you replace that kind of production?
Chiefs’ Depth Chart Just Got Even Thinner, The 12s Know That Pain
So, with our guy Walker out, who steps up for the Chiefs? Kansas City has elevated running back Nate Carter to the active roster to try and fill that massive void. Rookie Emmett Johnson has tallied 111 yards and one touchdown this season, while fellow rookie Jaydn Ott has logged just three carries. Their second-year back, Brashard Smith, is already on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, so their depth chart is looking thin, fast. It’s a rough spot for a team that’s 6-2 and second in the AFC West. And let’s not forget, Walker, the guy who inked a three-year, $43.1 million deal with the Chiefs, was just here last season, winning Super Bowl LX MVP honors with *our* Seattle Seahawks. Maybe this is a little dose of what it felt like to watch him leave the Emerald City, huh? The Chiefs just beat the New York Jets at home last week, but before that, they dropped back-to-back road games, one of which was right here against *our* Seahawks. You love to see it.
This Sunday, Kansas City heads to Atlanta to face the Falcons without their most dynamic offensive weapon. Can their retooled backfield step up, or will the Falcons expose a significant weakness that Walker was masking? It’s going to be interesting to watch just how much the absence of our former MVP truly impacts their game plan. This is where you find out who’s truly built for the grind.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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