Who Should I Start? Brashard Smith or Emmett Johnson
Week 3 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.7 | 4.7 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 0.0 |
Brashard Smith News
Friday, September 18, 5:49 PM
A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith flashed upside as a receiver out of the backfield during his rookie season. However, the 23-year-old's 2026 debut was discouraging for fantasy managers, as Smith played exclusively on special teams in Kansas City's Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos. Chiefs RB1 Kenneth Walker turned in a dominant performance against Denver, and rookie running back Emmett Johnson appears to have established himself as the clear RB2 in Kansas City. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempted just 27 passes in Week 1, so Smith may play a role in games where Kansas City is forced into more pass-heavy game scripts. Still, Smith seems unlikely to provide fantasy-relevant production unless there's an injury to Walker or Johnson.
Week 3 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.4 | 18.1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 13.1 | 0.1 |
Emmett Johnson News
Monday, September 21, 12:37 PM
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that rookie running back Emmett Johnson will continue to be more involved in the team's offense as the season progresses, per Soren Petro of Sports Radio 810 WHB. Johnson has been extremely efficient on a limited workload through the first two games of his NFL career, recording 103 scrimmage yards on 14 touches. The Chiefs have leaned heavily on RB1 Kenneth Walker so far, and Walker has recorded 369 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 56 touches. As long as Walker remains healthy, it may be difficult for Johnson to provide consistent production for fantasy managers. Still, it appears as though the Chiefs are happy with Johnson's progress and could find ways to get him more involved going forward. Heading into Week 3, Johnson profiles as a high-upside handcuff running back option with some season-long standalone upside.
Brashard Smith vs. Emmett Johnson
Still trying to decide between Smith and Johnson? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Brashard Smith is projected to score 1.7 points this week while Emmett Johnson is projected to score 5.4 points.
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