Emari

Demercado

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is currently rehabbing a season-ending knee injury, and although he has a chance to return in time for Week 1, it takes time for players to return to full strength. Enter new Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker, who Veach reminds us was the Super Bowl LX MVP. He adds that the team feels “real good” about the offensive line. Veach also indicates that the team intends to pass the ball more often as the season progresses, but if the run game is working, who’s to say they take the proverbial foot off the pedal? Walker warrants low-end RB1 treatment at this time. He is backed up by veteran RBs Brashard Smith and Emari Demercado, and fifth-round rookie RB Emmett Johnson. The depth chart order behind Walker will become clear in training camp.

Kansas City traded up to take Johnson with the 161st overall pick in the draft, adding the Nebraska product to a revamped backfield alongside free agency splash signing Ken Walker III and Emari Demercado. “He’s a juke button, he has very good feet, vision, feel, and he’s very good out of the backfield,” Nutt said of Johnson, 22, who had a 100th percentile college dominator rating at Nebraska along with a 99th percentile college target share. Arrowhead Pride’s Ron Kop, Jr. said the rookie is “projected to be the immediate backup to Walker in the lead-back role, but don’t be surprised if Johnson earns his way onto the field on pass downs or in other situations.” Johnson, who had 1,823 total yards in 2025, is a good candidate to catch major redraft stream this summer.

The former Cardinals backup running back totaled a career-high 413 scrimmage yards last season, banking four half-PPR finishes as an RB3 or better. Demercado caught 50 passes during his three seasons in Arizona and could challenge second-year RB Brashard Smith for receiving work. At worst, he can rotate in as a decent rusher whenever RB Kenneth Walker III needs a breather.

Demercado, 27, has been with the Cardinals since they signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He has served as a capable backup, totaling 1,143 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns via 126 carries and 70 targets during that span. Demercado has decent odds of landing a backup gig for 2026.

Demercado made the Cardinals’ final roster after training camp as the team’s third-string back. With James Conner and Trey Benson suffering season-ending injuries early in the year, Demercado got his shot in Week 5. Moments before scoring a 72-yard touchdown, Demercado let go of the ball at the goal line for a fumble that ultimately resulted in a touchback. Head coach Jonathan Gannon chewed Demercado out so aggressively after the play that he was fined $100,000 by the league. Even with opportunities up for grabs in the Arizona backfield, Gannon couldn’t bring himself to give Demercado another shot and he was relegated to a backup role for the remainder of the year. He finished the season with 44 carries for 312 yards and 13 grabs for 101 yards plus a touchdown. Demercado is a restricted free agent heading into the offseason, meaning the Cardinals can keep him on a cheap contract if they choose to do so.

Demercado remained stuck in the 5-7 touch range behind fill-in starter Michael Carter. We would not expect anything to change for Week 18 against the Rams.

Demercado failed to snag his only target and he was out-touched 6-to-5 by fellow backup RB Corey Kiner. Cardinals RB Michael Carter is the clear-cut starter and Kiner’s presence reduces Demercado’s bench-stash value. This looks like a three-player committee with one FLEX-viable player.

This news doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but we appreciate the clarity. With Bam Knight (ankle) now on injured reserve, Carter will get the opportunity to handle RB1 duties against a Falcons defense that ranks 25th in rushing yards allowed and 24th in yards per carry allowed. Carter played on 53 offensive snaps last week compared to Emari Demercado, who was in on just seven snaps. Carter will have some appeal as a FLEX play in Week 16.

Knight is expected to undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm the diagnosis, but the belief is that he did not break anything. Knight is highly unlikely to play in Week 16’s game against the Falcons, and depending on the severity of his injury, it wouldn’t be surprising if this proved to be season-ending. We’ll check back in with an update when the team provides one, but an already thin Cardinals backfield could be looking at Emari Demercado and Michael Carter as it’s top two options down the stretch.

He added two catches for ... zero yards, managing just seven snaps. It was disappointing that Demercado was a clear backup to Michael Carter, but it’s possible the Cardinals wanted to bring him along slowly in his return from a high-ankle sprain. The Cardinals will never make this easy to understand, so Demercado is still a potential RB3/FLEX play against the Falcons next week despite this dud. We’d feel better starting him if we got some coach quotes about the injury limiting him here ahead of next Sunday.