Chiefs Rule Out Kenneth Walker III for Week 10
Rookie Emmett Johnson is expected to start Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons after Walker's groin injury sidelines him.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Football
The Kansas City Chiefs have ruled out running back Kenneth Walker III for Week 10 due to a groin injury. Rookie Emmett Johnson is set to take over the backfield and start against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Why it matters
The move puts a rookie in the lead role for a Kansas City offense that now relies on Johnson for its ground and passing production. For Kansas City football fans and fantasy managers, Johnson's workload becomes the key storyline of the week.
Johnson's season averages of 4.3 yards per carry and 16.9 yards per reception come on 26 carries and 14 receptions, against a Falcons defense that allows the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs. It is unclear how heavy his Week 10 workload will be.
The players
Kenneth Walker III
A running back for the Kansas City Chiefs who has been ruled out for Week 10 due to a groin injury.
Emmett Johnson
A rookie running back for the Kansas City Chiefs who is expected to start against the Atlanta Falcons.
The details
Walker was ruled out for Week 10 with a groin injury, leaving Johnson as the Chiefs' lead back heading into the matchup in Atlanta. Johnson is projected to be heavily utilized in the backfield for the game.
Timeline
Week 10: Kenneth Walker III is ruled out with a groin injury.
Sunday, Week 10: Emmett Johnson starts against the Atlanta Falcons.
Week 11: Kenneth Walker III is expected to return.
Season Trajectory
The Falcons allow the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs this season, making the matchup a favorable one for a backfield opportunity. Walker's absence shifts the Chiefs' running back depth chart for at least one game as the team works through its season.
Fantasy managers relying on Walker should look to Johnson as the primary Chiefs back for Week 10, given his expanded role against the Falcons. Johnson's receiving production makes him a viable option in both leagues with and without point-per-reception scoring.
The takeaway
Injury-driven backfield changes often create short-term opportunities for backups, so tracking snap counts and touches in the first game of a role change helps separate a true starter from a temporary fill-in. Johnson's Week 10 usage will offer an early read on how the Chiefs plan to divide carries once Walker returns.
What happens next
Walker is expected to return in Week 11, which will reshape the Chiefs' running back rotation again.
Further reading
For more on the Chiefs' backfield and the rest of the season, browse our Football coverage.
