Losing Kenneth Walker III Hurts, But Chiefs Have Worthy Backup Plan

The Kansas City Chiefs will take a 6-2 record into their Week 10 road matchup against the 3-6 Atlanta Falcons but are doing so without their top offensive weapon.

The Chiefs announced that standout running back Kenneth Walker III will be out against the Falcons due to a “minor” groin injury that he sustained during practice on Thursday and caused him to miss practice on Friday.

Walker has been the best running back in the American Football Conference this season and losing him for any amount of time is a brutal blow to a Chiefs offense that thrives with him in the backfield.

Coming off a three touchdown game (one rush, two receiving) with 102 rushing yards, four receptions and 41 receiving yards, Walker is second in the National Football League in yards (872) and average yards per carry (5.5) while logging seven touchdowns on the ground (tied-ninth). His four receiving scores put him in a tie with Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs with 11 total touchdowns.

Though this puts a strain on the offense, rookie backup RB Emmett Johnson has looked great in his limited reps and will step into the starter’s role against Atlanta. Johnson has just 26 carries and 111 yards (4.3 average) with one touchdown on the ground, but as a receiver, he has 14 receptions for 237 yards and another score.

Kansas City will miss the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, but they are in good hands. Speaking of good hands, the Chiefs acquired slot receiver Josh Downs from the Indianapolis Colts prior to the trade deadline earlier this week and he’s expected to play a sizable role moving forward.

Downs is having a decent season, all things considered, but will certainly enjoy the upgrade at quarterback; and Patrick Mahomes will always take another skilled receiver.

The Falcons traded away star safety Jessie Bates III to the Jacksonville Jaguars and lose a key member of the defense, which makes me think the Chiefs won’t really skip a beat even without the potential Offensive Player of the Year.

Atlanta allows the 13th-most passing yards per game and is 16th in rushing yards allowed per game, so a balanced attack with a little bit more from the passing game is the best way to attack this defense.

The Falcons have lost two straight after knocking off the undefeated San Francisco 49ers a few weeks back and aren’t favored against a skilled Chiefs team looking to gain some ground on the Denver Broncos in the AFC West.