The Chiefs selected Johnson in the fifth round of the NFL Draft from Nebraska, and he will compete for a backup role behind Kenneth Walker III this season. If Johnson is No. 2 on the depth chart in Kansas City, then he'll be worth a late-round flier in redraft leagues. He's worth a second-round pick in rookie-only drafts for Dynasty leagues. Johnson will compete with Brashard Smith and Emari Demercado for the backup role behind Walker, and Johnson makes the most sense as the handcuff option for the Chiefs. In 2025 at Nebraska, Johnson had 251 carries for 1,451 yards, 12 touchdowns and 46 catches for 370 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games. Johnson likely won't do much as long as Walker is healthy, but he does have Fantasy value if he's second on the depth chart. Keep an eye on what happens in training camp, and Johnson could be a quality stash candidate if he's ahead of Smith and Demarcado to open the year.
Fantasy News
Chiefs' Emmett Johnson: Draws LeSean McCoy comp from Reid
Rotowire
Johnson is competing with Brashard Smith and Emari Demercado for slotting on Kansas City's running back depth chart behind Kenneth Walker, Grant Gordon of NFL.com reports.
The Chiefs almost completely remade their backfield compared to last season, letting Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco walk while retaining the 2025 seventh-round pick Smith, and signing Walker and Demercado before drafting Johnson in the fifth round. Kansas City also signed undrafted free agents Jaydn Ott and EJ Smith. Demercado and Brashard Smith both seem best suited for change-of-pace roles on passing downs, so Johnson could have a clear lane to getting the second-most carries behind Walker. Head coach Andy Reid compared Johnson's skill set to that of former NFL running back LeSean McCoy, who exceeded 1,000 regular-season rushing yards on six occasions.
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Chiefs' Emmett Johnson: Lands with Chiefs
Rotowire
The Chiefs selected Johnson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 161st overall.
Johnson (5-foot-10, 202 pounds) broke out in 2025, his fourth season with Nebraska, starting all 12 games and totaling 251 carries for 1,451 yards (No. 1 in the Big Ten) and 12 touchdowns while adding 46 catches for 370 receiving yards and another three scores. While Johnson's production, lateral agility and pass-catching chops stand out, his testing numbers were merely average, though he improved on his 4.56-second NFL Combine 40-yard dash with a 4.49-second total at Nebraska's pro day. Despite falling to the fifth round, Johnson's landing spot in head coach Andy Reid's offense is intriguing, with Emari Demercado and Brashard Smith representing his most notable competition for reserve work behind new No. 1 running back Kenneth Walker. Johnson's upside case may be limited to that of a change-of-pace role behind Walker, but he'll be a solid candidate to produce with such a gig if he can secure consistent opportunities.
