The Chiefs will be without one of their biggest offensive threats when they visit the Falcons on Sunday.
Kenneth Walker III, the NFL’s second-leading rusher, was ruled out Saturday with a groin injury and will miss his first game since joining Kansas City. Rookie running back Emmett Johnson will step in for Walker.
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The matchup was set to showcase the league’s top two rushers. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson leads the NFL with 880 rushing yards, just eight ahead of Walker’s 872. Walker has also caught 22 passes for 172 yards and four touchdowns, while Robinson has added 250 receiving yards.
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Running back Kenneth Walker III of the Kansas City Chiefs runs after a pass catch in overtime against the Indianapolis Colts at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 20, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Getty Images)
Walker had been listed as questionable on the injury report after tweaking his groin during Thursday’s practice. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said the team would monitor his progress over the next couple of days.
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Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons runs for a 59-yard touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter of a game at Caesars Superdome on Oct. 5, 2026, in New Orleans, La. (Getty Images)
Johnson has played well when given a chance this season, though. The overlooked fifth-round pick out of Nebraska has run 26 times for 111 yards and a touchdown, and he’s caught 14 passes for 237 yards and another score.
“He’s going to play anyway, whether Ken’s there or not,” Reid said Friday. “Everybody has confidence in him.”
The Chiefs’ bigger problem is the lack of depth behind Johnson. Brashard Smith went on injured reserve with a hamstring injury Oct. 24, while Ott is questionable for Sunday’s game in Atlanta with a sore hamstring. He carried three times for 19 yards in mop-up duty during last week’s blowout win over the Jets.
The Chiefs also received good news on the injury front. Two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes was listed as a full participant throughout the week and carries no injury designation for Sunday’s game.
Kenneth Walker III celebrates with Patrick Mahomes after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on Oct. 4, 2026. (Getty Images)
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Mahomes was able to bounce back after taking a hard hit to his right arm during last week’s 35-12 win over the Jets. An MRI taken afterward showed no major injury to his right elbow, NFL Network reported.
The Chiefs were flying to Atlanta on Saturday, and they did not expect any changes to their flight plan following the Federal Aviation Administration’s ground stoppage a day earlier. Standout defensive tackle Chris Jones was not traveling with the team for personal reasons, but the Chiefs said he would join the team in Atlanta and he carried no game designation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.