The Kansas City Chiefs will be without one of their biggest offensive weapons Sunday.
Running back Kenneth Walker III has been ruled out of Sunday’s Week 10 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons after suffering a groin injury during Thursday’s practice, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Chiefs reportedly want to give Walker a week to recover rather than risk aggravating the injury.
The injury is considered minor, but Kansas City is taking a cautious approach with its star running back.
What This Means for Kansas City
Walker’s absence is significant considering the production he’s delivered in his first season with Kansas City.
Through eight games, Walker has recorded:
- 872 rushing yards
- 159 rushing attempts
- 7 rushing touchdowns
- 5.5 yards per carry
- 22 receptions
- 172 receiving yards
- 4 receiving touchdowns
Next man up: Emmett Johnson
Rookie running back Emmett Johnson could see an expanded workload against Atlanta. Johnson has rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries while adding 237 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has expressed confidence in the rookie’s ability to contribute.
The Bigger Picture
Kansas City enters the matchup at 6-2, looking to keep pace with Denver in the AFC West. Losing Walker takes a major playmaker out of an offense that will need to find other ways to attack Atlanta.
