KC Brashard Smith
NFL player. Position: Running Back (RB). Team: Kansas City Chiefs.
Quick Facts
- Position: Running Back
- Team: Kansas City Chiefs
2026 Outlook
Smith converted from wide receiver to running back in college and saw limited action in his rookie 2025 season: just 44 carries total, with most coming in blowout games or season-enders when the game was decided. In the 2026 offseason, the Chiefs made aggressive moves to upgrade the position: signing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, adding former Cardinals RB Emari Demarcado, and drafting Nebraska's Emmett Johnson in the fifth round. Despite this depth-chart reshuffle, Smith made Kansas City's 53-man roster. On Aug 31, the Chiefs chose Smith over veteran Emari Demercado for the third running back spot, citing Smith's special teams value. Sports Illustrated notes "Choosing Smith over Demercado was the right choice, as he brings more to the table on special teams and showed plenty of promise in the final week of the preseason running the ball (16 carries, 72 yards)." The Chiefs kept just three running backs total, suggesting Demercado's receiving ability couldn't offset Smith's special teams contributions. (per NFL Roster Cuts: Biggest Snubs From Kansas City Chiefs' Initial 53-Man Roster)
Role / Depth Chart
- Current role: RB4/roster bubble, potential special-teams contributor
- Ahead on depth chart: Kenneth Walker, Emari Demarcado, Emmett Johnson
- Best path: Establish himself as the team's top kick-return candidate
Recent News
- 2026-05-30 — NFL Backfield Rankings: Grading Every Team's Running Backs [2026] (NFL Backfield Rankings: Grading Every Team's Running Backs [2026])
- 2026-04-01 — Fantasy Football Rankings 2026: Top 100 running backs (Fantasy Football Rankings 2026: Top 100 running backs)
- 2026-04-29 — Roster bubble threat after Chiefs' aggressive RB position investments (Which Chiefs Players Could Be on the Roster Bubble After the 2026 NFL Draft?)