Where Chiefs Should Target a RB in 2026 NFL Draft

Many have expressed their desire for the Kansas City Chiefs to add a running back with their ninth-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes greets fans during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs desperately need a running back. In the 2025 NFL season, they ranked 25th in rushing yards per game and 21st in yards per carry. One of the main reasons they weren't at the league bottom in both categories was because of Patrick Mahomes, who ran the ball 64 times this year for 422 yards and five touchdowns.

His mobility has always been a significant factor in what makes him such a special quarterback, but it's clear that the workload he carried this season is untenable, evidenced by the torn ACL Mahomes suffered in Week 15. Despite his individual greatness, the Chiefs' offense just didn't have the juice necessary to carry them back into the playoffs this year, and their inability to threaten opposing defenses on the ground proved to be a fatal flaw.

Dec 13, 2025; Inglewood, CA, USA; Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) is stopped short of the goal line by Boise State Broncos defensive back Ty Benefield (0) in the first half of the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

When should the Chiefs draft a running back?

Running back was such a glaring need for the Kansas City Chiefs this past season that many are hoping that they'll spend their ninth-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Notre Dame Fighting Irish halfback Jeremiyah Love. He'd be a transformative talent in the backfield for KC, coming off a Heisman finalist campaign, but for a team with several holes on the roster and limited avenues to improve its personnel, spending such premium capital on a replaceable position might not be the best move.

On the other hand, the Chiefs won't want to wait too long to address their ground game, either. They've tried to find a gem at running back on Day 3 of the draft several times over the past few years to no avail. Brashard Smith, Isiah Pacheco, and Darwin Thompson have all failed to become reliable ball-carriers in KC.

Super rudimentary Chiefs 5-round mock draft, with the intention of waiting on a running back pic.twitter.com/c9jBDrjPx7

— Andy Quach (@NBA_QuachBoy) January 24, 2026

Kansas City has to find the right medium between positional value and getting a bankable talent in the draft. In this class, the second or third round is the sweet spot for teams in need of backfield help. Outside of Love, Pro Football Focus has four running backs ranked in the top 100 of their big board: Notre Dame's Jadarian Price (60), Washington's Jonah Coleman (79), Nebraska's Emmett Johnson (83), and Kentucky's Seth McGowan (96).

Waiting until Day 2 would allow the Chiefs to address a more premium position with their ninth-overall pick while also ensuring that they can add a top-tier talent to their backfield, considering the depth at running back in that range. Someone like Coleman could be just as impactful in Kansas City, but comes at a much lesser cost than Love.

Keep up with all our Chiefs 2026 NFL Draft coverage when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news.  SIGN UP HERE NOW.