Emmett Johnson Isn’t Kansas City’s RB2 Yet — He’s Still the Handcuff I Want to Bet On

I don't think Emmett Johnson is guaranteed to open the season as Kenneth Walker's direct backup.

I still want to draft him.

Those two things can both be true.

Emari Demercado has spent much of the offseason ahead of Johnson and may have the early advantage for passing-down work.

Johnson entered camp buried farther down the depth chart.

Then the preseason started.

And every time Kansas City has given Johnson an opportunity, he has given the Chiefs another reason to give him more.

Kansas City Specifically Went and Got Him

Johnson wasn't one of Kansas City's premium draft selections.

He lasted until the fifth round.

But the Chiefs traded with Pittsburgh to acquire the selection they used on him at No. 161.

That matters a little more when you look at what he did in college.

Johnson rushed for 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns during his final season at Nebraska.

He also caught 46 passes for 370 yards and three more touchdowns.

That's 1,821 yards from scrimmage.

15 touchdowns.

And 46 receptions.

For fantasy football, that receiving number immediately gets my attention.

Johnson isn't a runner who needs 18 carries to produce.

Andy Reid Was Already Interested in the Receiving Ability

One of the more interesting offseason notes was Reid's reaction to Johnson as a receiver.

Kansas City clearly believes he can contribute in the passing game.

That matches the college profile.

Johnson caught 85 passes over his final two seasons at Nebraska.

That's valuable in this offense.

Especially with Patrick Mahomes.

Reid has spent decades finding ways to use running backs as receivers.

A back who can stay on the field for multiple situations has a much easier path to fantasy value.

Then the Preseason Production Arrived

Johnson's first preseason game:

12 carries.

59 rushing yards.

Three catches.

10 receiving yards.

Afterward, Reid called him one of the positives from the game and praised how hard and aggressively he ran.

Then Johnson followed that with seven carries for 25 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay while adding another reception.

Through two games, we're not seeing one giant busted play inflate the numbers.

We're seeing consistent involvement.

That's much more interesting.

Kenneth Walker Is Still the Guy

Let's not make the rookie hype ridiculous.

Kansas City signed Kenneth Walker for a reason.

Walker is coming off a Super Bowl MVP performance for Seattle.

The Chiefs have talked about leaning on the running game, especially while Patrick Mahomes continues working back from his knee injury.

If Walker is healthy, Johnson isn't taking this backfield away from him.

I'm not drafting Johnson for that outcome.

I'm drafting what happens behind Walker.

Emari Demercado Complicates This

This is the most important downside.

Demercado may actually begin the season as Kansas City's RB2.

Reports throughout the offseason have had the veteran ahead of Johnson in several drills.

He has NFL experience.

He can contribute on passing downs.

That means Johnson isn't necessarily the classic handcuff where the starter goes down and every touch immediately transfers to him.

Kansas City could use a committee.

But I don't think that makes Johnson irrelevant.

It changes the type of bet.

I'm Betting on Who Could Handle the Lead-Back Work

If Walker misses a game, I want the back with the best chance of handling the actual rushing workload.

That's where Johnson interests me more.

He proved at Nebraska that he can handle volume.

He carried the ball 251 times in 2025.

He caught 46 passes.

And now he's running well against NFL competition.

Demercado could remain involved.

He could even be the preferred passing-down option.

But Johnson has the profile I want if Kansas City suddenly needs someone to handle 15-plus touches.

The Price Makes This Easy

This isn't a player I'm taking in Round 8.

It's a late-round running-back bet.

That distinction matters.

I'm constantly looking for running backs who could become dramatically more valuable from one depth-chart change.

Johnson has that.

And unlike some handcuffs, there may eventually be a path to standalone touches as well.

If Reid continues liking what he sees, the rookie can force his way onto the field.

My Fantasy Read

Kenneth Walker is the Chiefs running back to draft.

Emmett Johnson is the Chiefs running back I want late.

I'm not pretending Johnson has already beaten Emari Demercado for RB2.

He hasn't.

But I would rather bet on the rookie's combination of rushing volume, receiving ability and preseason momentum.

Kansas City traded for the pick to get him.

Johnson produced more than 1,800 yards from scrimmage in his final college season.

And Andy Reid is already publicly praising what he's doing.

If Walker plays 17 games, Johnson might spend most of the season on your bench.

That's what handcuffs do.

But if Walker misses time, Johnson has the kind of profile that can suddenly turn a meaningless late-round pick into a weekly fantasy decision.

That's the bet I'm willing to make.