Anonymous NFL execs say the Kansas City Chiefs have a top-10 running back, but an AFC rival has one big concern for the future
The Kansas City Chiefs finally have a top-10 running back, and one that compares to some exceptional talents that Eric Bieniemy coached in the past. However, one AFC rival executive brought up a reasonable concern in ESPN’s annual survey of execs, coaches, and scouts.
ESPN’s annual survey of NFL execs, coaches, and scouts slotted Kansas City Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III ninth among running backs for 2026.
It’s notable because Walker is the reigning Super Bowl LX MVP who just left Seattle for a three-year, $43.05M deal in Kansas City. It’s also notable because the Chiefs haven’t had a running back appear on Jeremy Fowler’s annual list before.
Flashback to 2018, Kareem Hunt was heaped with praise after a dominant rookie season. He made ESPN’s list of rising young running backs. This feels different, though.
Voters praised Walker for his open-field vision and physicality. He landed nearly 60% of the ballots in ESPN’s poll of execs, coaches, and scouts after his Super Bowl LX MVP performance. One specific AFC rival executive compared Walker to two players whom OC Eric Bieniemy has coached in the past, but also raised a concern.
Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III Quick Stats & Facts
Spent 2022–25 in Seattle; signed with KC in 2026 free agency after Seattle declined to franchise-tag him. Becomes the first Super Bowl MVP to switch teams directly after winning since 2003.
- 25 years old; 2022 second-round pick, 41st overall, out of Michigan State
- Career through 2025: 58 games, 821 carries, 3,555 yards, 4.3 YPC, 29 rush TDs; 133 receptions, 1,005 yards, 2 rec TDs
An anonymous AFC executive worries about Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker’s longevity
The best part about these rankings is undoubtedly the anonymous commentary that Fowler provides. The quote on Walker draws a comparison to two players for whom Eric Bieniemy was the RBs coach. However, the catching part is the AFC execs’ concerns about Walker.
“He reminds me a lot of a mix between peak Kareem Hunt and Maurice Jones-Drew,” an AFC executive said. “Dense lower body, fast enough, tough to bring down. Not sure how his game will age yet, but he should be good this year.”
Bieniemy, of course, had Kareem Hunt in 2017 (part of 2018 as OC) and Maurice Jones-Drew at UCLA. Both players were coached to peak success. One at the NFL level and another at the collegiate level. That should get everyone’s attention if Walker truly is a similar style of back in Kansas City.
I think it’s fair to question how Walker’s game will age, given his career injury history and modest career workload. 2025 was his first full 17-game season in the NFL, and the burden was eased by a strong rushing partner in Zach Charbonnet. He’s had quite a few soft-tissue injuries in his career, including oblique and calf injuries that sidelined him in 2024.
Fowler also mentioned that Walker averaged just 15.2 carries per game throughout his career. The production on those carries per game is impressive, but that’s not exactly bell-cow running-back numbers.
The expectations are clear for Walker in Kansas City. He’s going to be a focal point of the offense in both the running and passing games. Perhaps this ranking is built a bit more on opportunity and rose-colored glasses from Super Bowl LX. Will he be able to sustain the level of success he saw in 2025 with a heavier workload and greater wear and tear? That’s a question that the Chiefs will seek to answer in 2026. Thankfully, he doesn’t have to go it alone, with other new pieces added to the backfield in Emari Demercado and Emmett Johnson.