Kenneth

Walker

Per Jordan Schultz, the deal is worth up to $45 million and includes $28.7 million guaranteed. In desperate need of a talent infusion on offense, the Chiefs have opted to splurge at the cheaper position of running back rather than wideout. 25-year-old Walker has a long history of minor injuries, but an even longer track record of explosive runs. Once Zach Charbonnet’s playoff injury finally forced KWIII into unquestioned lead back status, he responded by winning Super Bowl MVP honors. Although Walker has a decent pair of hands, his Chiefs baseline will be on early downs with the potential to expand to more pass-catching situations. Ideally, he will share the backfield with someone else in the “Jerick McKinnon role.” If he doesn’t, KWIII could be an elite three-down back, just one who has a propensity to pick up nicks and bruises with his tough running style. Walker begins drafting season as a high-end RB2 you could plausibly label an RB1.

Pelissero says that Walker “still is in touch with the Seahawks” about a return, but highlights the Chiefs as the team that could swoop in and land the Super Bowl MVP. Walker rushed for 221-1027-5 last regular season and ran for another 65-313-4 in the postseason while helping the Seahawks win their second title in franchise history. Walker has been linked to multiple teams ahead leading up to his free agency, although it was reported that the Giants have already been “priced out” of his market.

Walker was reportedly on the Giants’ “wish list” this offseason but the going rate on a contract extension simply got too high, with the prevailing feeling now one in which the Giants simply can’t come to terms with. Even so, the fact that the Giants are seriously pursuing running backs through free agency paints a dark picture regarding their level of enthusiasm in continuing forward with Cam Skattebo in a workhorse role. Stay tuned through the opening of the legal tampering period Monday as numerous fantasy-relevant situations are sure to change.

If so, the Giants “can’t/won’t go there,” per Duggan. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes the Titans, Chiefs, Broncos, and Commanders — as well as the incumbent Seahawks — are teams to watch for Walker, who figures to be the belle of the running back free-agent market ball. Coming off his Super Bowl MVP, we wouldn’t be totally surprised if the market got this high for Walker, but it should be noted that Fowler’s prediction was a market more in the range of $12 million a season.

In other words, RJ Harvey-reliant managers, keep your head on a swivel. Kosmider names Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne, and Rico Dowdle as three backs the Broncos could have interest in. He adds that it’s “within the realm of possibility” that J.K. Dobbins returns, and also notes that the Broncos could search for young depth on Day 3 of the draft. It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for RJ Harvey, fantasy superstar. Harvey could very well wind up in a committee again in 2026. The Broncos have enough cap space to be in play for the bigger name backs.

It looks like the Seahawks will let Walker, the Super Bowl MVP who helped propel the team to a championship, explore the open market in the coming weeks. The Giants and Chiefs are among the teams with reported interest in Walker, who last year went for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns — along with 31 receptions for 282 yards — in a timeshare alongside Zach Charbonnet. Walker’s explosive run style could be appealing for a range of teams in need of backfield production. Obviously that includes Kansas City, which featured two of the most inefficient running backs in the game last season.

This is the second reporter to recently suggest the Giants could be in the market to make a splash at running back this offseason. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported from the combine that the Giants were “seriously looking at some of the top RBs” in the draft or free agency. Hughes hints at Kenneth Walker being the main target of the Giants, saying we should “expect a strong push” for the four-year vet. While a move like this would undoubtedly bolster the Giants’ backfield, it could make for a frustrating fantasy situation with Cam Skattebo still expected to be in the mix and coming off a strong rookie season before his injury.

Achane is mentioned as part of a major section of Alexander’s combine takeaways titled “A push for a running back,” starring Kenneth Walker and also featuring Travis Etienne and Rico Dowdle. But towards the very end, it notes that the Texans did trade for a back after missing out on the free-agent market for Saquon Barkley when they snagged Joe Mixon. We doubt that the Dolphins would part with Achane for something negligible — they’d likely require real draft compensation — but the situation certainly looks to be focused on the long-term there and Achane is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Breer adds the Broncos and Texans as teams he’d “assume” would be interested in Walker coming off a Super Bowl MVP performance. With Breece Hall likely to be franchise or transition tagged if a deal isn’t worked out with the Jets, Walker appears set to be the best running back to hit the market. Seahawks GM John Schneider did not comment on the idea of franchise tagging Walker at his combine presser, while Adam Schefter called it “unlikely” earlier this week.

Raanan reports players like Travis Etienne, Jeremiyah Love, and Kenneth Walker are among the players the Giants are reportedly interested in, while adding “there seems to be a clear focus on becoming a more physical run-heavy team.” The Giants saw last year’s rookie, Cam Skattebo, run for 101-410-5 in eight games before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury, but the team is hopeful he’ll be cleared in time for training camp. Still, the talent behind Skattebo is thin, but any big name-addition in the draft or free agency would undoubtedly limit the fantasy upside of both players in 2026. The Giants currently hold the No. 5 overall pick, but are up against a tight cap with just over $3.3 million currently available, per OverTheCap. They’ll have some work to do if they hope to land a big-name back in free agency.