Kenneth Walker III. Super Bowl Champion. Reigning Super Bowl MVP. Kansas City Chiefs RB1. The Chiefs have been searching to fill that position with top-end talent since they cut Kareem Hunt in 2018 (before they brought him back). They have tried premium draft picks, like taking Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round; they have tried veterans just looking to be employed for the year; and they have ridden the hot hand with undrafted free agents and late-round picks (Isaiah Pacheco and Damien Williams). Now they approached the 2026 offseason differently and paid a veteran running back coming off the best year of his career.
The fantasy community has predictably been in a bonanza since. Kenneth Walker is now the RB6 off the board and is a borderline first-round pick on Sleeper. Will he live up to the hype? Maybe. But I won’t be making that bet. The juice is not worth the squeeze at that price.
Fantasy Managers Are Drafting Kenneth Walker Too High in 2026!
His History
Kenneth Walker has not finished higher than RB18 in his career. That was his rookie year. Since then, he has been the RB19, missed 6 games in 2024, and the RB22 in 2025. As you dig into the numbers behind the fantasy finishes, they scream consistency.
In 2025, Walker had 221 carries. In each season, he had 36, 37, and 35 targets. 2024 was an outlier, but Walker did miss six games. So, if we expect a healthy year from Walker, then history tells us it would be a fair and reasonable assumption to put Walker’s rush attempts between 215-230, his yardage at 950-1100, and touchdowns between five and nine. His targets will be between two and three per game. And that will not be enough to get Walker into the top 5-6 range where he’s currently being drafted.
His Cost
To return to his draft position, Kenneth Walker would need to either be targeted 80+ times or score 12-15 total touchdowns, in addition to his average rushing stats from his last four years. However, the most rushing touchdowns from a Kansas City running back have only been eight in the last four years. Regarding targets, McKinnon had 71 targets in 2022. But he was only the RB20. Since then, the leading pass-catching running back from Kansas City has only had 59, 35, and 35 targets. Walker’s career high is 53. This kind of bet led to a high percentage of people taking Clyde Edwards-Helaire over Jonathan Taylor in dynasty rookie drafts and in redrafts their rookie year. Not a great bet.
Be sure to check our fantasy football preview of Kenneth Walker and the 2026 Chiefs!
The Alternative
Additionally, this bet is especially risky given the running backs being taken at or near Kenneth Walker’s ADP. Kenneth Walker is being taken above Ashton Jeanty, De’Von Achane, Saquon Barkley, and Chase Brown. Walker is being taken right after James Cook, Justin Jefferson, and Ceedee Lamb. Let’s take James Cook as an example.
James Cook was the RB6 and RB8 the last two years. He achieved those two top-10 finishes on 1621 yards rushing and 14 total touchdowns in 2025, as well as 18 total touchdowns in 2024. There’s a wide gap between Cook’s touchdowns and total touches, compared to Kenneth Walker’s in the last two years. And you took Cook in the 3rd/4th rounds the last two years, not at the 1-2 turn, thus limiting the risk and managing expectations.
All in all, when you look at Kenneth Walker’s statistical history, his draft cost, and those available around him, he’s just too pricey. Spend that pick on someone else and thank me later.
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A Look Inside the Kansas City Chiefs
Editor’s Note: While this article focused on Kenneth Walker in fantasy football, we don’t want to leave you hanging on the rest of the team. Here is a quick look at the other fantasy-relevant Chiefs from Ryan Weisse.
Patrick Mahomes
I am of two minds when it comes to Mahomes. He was great last year, but a lot of it came via rushing, and then he hurt his knee. Basically, he cannot repeat what he did in 2025. His legs won’t allow it. But he is also Patrick Mahomes, and rushing was never his game. The Chiefs brought back Eric Bieniemy, and Mahomes’ best years were when Bieniemy was the OC. If anyone can get this passing game back on schedule, it’s Bieniemy. All in all, Mahomes is going around QB12, and that seems right. There is risk. There is reward. And at least his ADP reflects that. I would be happy to have him as my QB1 if I were the last manager in my league to draft a QB.
Emmett Johnson
Walker is unlikely to take every snap, and Johnson seems to have the skillset to spell him on passing downs. Let me be clear here, I do not think Johnson is the backup to Kenneth Walker. If Walker were to get hurt, Kareem Hunt would be re-signed immediately. But during the season, could see some targets head Johnson’s way, and that can be valuable in fantasy.
Rashee Rice
Speaking of risk. Rive got himself in legal trouble again this offseason, and he’s rehabbing an injury. He actually spent time in jail…while rehabbing an injury. Not. Good. Unfortunately, his draft cost does not currently account for this risk, and I am out on Rashee Rice. He is great when he plays, but he can’t stay on the field for one reason or another, and there are equally talented WRs going around him in fantasy drafts.
Xavier Worthy
Worthy hasn’t shown much in two years, but with Rice yet again in danger of missing time, and the return of Bieniemy, a Year 3 breakout seems possible. Worthy was much better as a rookie than last season, but Bieniemy should do a better job of utilizing his talents than Matt Nagy.
Travis Kelce
Yes, Kelce’s best years are behind him, but he is still better than most tight ends. If you ask most fantasy managers, he was a shadow of himself in 2025. He was still the TE3 in PPR scoring. And, once again, Bieniemy knows how to use him. At his current late draft cost, Kelce is a steal in fantasy drafts.
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You can also see where Kenneth Walker and the rest of the Chiefs fall in our 2026 Fantasy Rankings here!
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