Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III will miss Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons after injuring his groin during Thursday’s practice. The Chiefs initially listed him as questionable, but ruled him out on Saturday, November 14, 2026.
Walker reported groin tightness to the team’s medical staff and missed Friday’s practice. Head coach Andy Reid said Kansas City would not risk aggravating the injury. “We’re not going to put him at risk, or anything like that,” Reid said Friday. “So if he can go, he can go. If he can’t, he can’t.” The team’s decision gives Walker at least a week to recover.
Since joining Kansas City in free agency, Walker has rushed for 872 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games. He ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards, just eight behind Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, who has 880. Walker’s absence means the anticipated matchup between the two leading rushers will not take place Sunday.
Rookie Emmett Johnson is expected to handle most of the Chiefs’ rushing attempts. Reid said Friday that Johnson would take on the bulk of the carries if Walker could not play. Johnson has recorded 111 rushing yards and one touchdown this season.
## Walker’s Workload and Seattle’s Offseason Decision
Walker’s injury also draws attention to the workload he has carried since leaving Seattle. He is averaging 19.9 rushing attempts per game with Kansas City, compared with 13.0 during the 2025 regular season with the Seahawks—an increase of about 53%.
Seattle often shared backfield duties between Walker and Zach Charbonnet, helping manage Walker’s workload after injuries interrupted each of his first three NFL seasons. Walker played all 17 regular-season games in 2025 and later earned Super Bowl LX MVP honors as Seattle won the championship. Kansas City has since made him a central part of its offense.
There is no evidence that Walker’s increased workload caused his groin injury. The Chiefs’ decision to hold him out, however, gives him time to recover and avoids risking a more serious problem. For Sunday, Kansas City will need to adjust its offense without one of its most productive players.
