Kenneth Walker III has proven to be exactly what the Kansas City Chiefs envisioned when they secured him with a three-year, $45 million contract in free agency.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP running back from the Seattle Seahawks has seamlessly transitioned his postseason success into the regular season. He currently stands as the only running back to post back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances through the first two weeks.
Walker dominates the league in rushing, accumulating 290 yards and a touchdown while averaging an exceptional 6.2 yards per carry. Additionally, he has recorded nine receptions for 79 yards and a receiving touchdown.
As anticipated, the acquisition of Walker has significantly enhanced the explosiveness of Kansas City’s offense. The Chiefs have achieved nine rushing plays of at least 10 yards in just two games—a total they reached only 44 times throughout the entire 2025 season. With Patrick Mahomes returning from a season-ending knee injury, Walker’s presence ensures the Texas Tech product does not have to single-handedly generate every big offensive play.
Walker has also benefited immensely from playing alongside arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. Facing a light box—defined as six or fewer defenders at the line of scrimmage—on 36.2% of his carries through two weeks, Walker has seen a significant increase in favorable matchups. For comparison, he faced a light box on just 26.7% of his rushes last season with Seattle, according to Next Gen Stats.
Consequently, defenses forced to account for Mahomes and Kansas City’s passing game have given Walker distinct advantages in the running lanes. However, things are not entirely perfect in Kansas City. While the Chiefs desire Walker to be their primary workhorse, his history of nagging injuries and durability concerns—evidenced by his shared backfield role with Zach Charbonnet in Seattle—necessitate caution.
Walker has already accumulated a league-high 56 touches. Last season, the Seahawks carefully managed his workload to 257 touches, which kept him effective throughout the postseason. He is currently on pace for 391 touches this season, which would be a career high. It would be wise for Kansas City to manage his workload similarly, utilizing talented rookie Emmett Johnson to spell Walker and ensure his longevity.
Now, let’s examine the top picks for all the major NFL awards heading into Week 3.
Offensive Player Of The Year
The skinny: Can Jaxon Smith-Njigba truly sustain this level of play? A year after dominating the league and earning Offensive Player of the Year in just his second NFL season, he is proving his previous success was no fluke. Smith-Njigba has accounted for 42% of Seattle’s total offense through two games, a slight increase from the 44% he commanded of the Seahawks’ receiving offense last year.
Derrick Henry, meanwhile, has an opportunity to rebound from a lackluster performance in a loss to New Orleans, where he managed just 68 yards and one touchdown. He will look to bounce back against a Dallas defense that has allowed an average of 174 rushing yards per game.
Defensive Player Of The Year
The skinny: Dallas Turner has emerged as the go-to rusher of one of the top defenses in the league for Minnesota. He’s tied for third in the league in sacks (3), first in quarterback pressures (20) and first in quarterback hits (11).
As for Greg Rousseau, he leads the league in sacks (4) and is tied for fifth in pressures (12), providing the Bills with a much-needed defensive presence up front.
Coach Of The Year
The skinny: Give Kevin O’Connell credit for winning two games at the start of the season with a backup quarterback in Carson Wentz. As a result, Minnesota has been arguably the biggest surprise through the first two games of the season, upsetting Chicago in Week 2.
Joe Brady has fully justified the high expectations placed upon him in Buffalo, leading the Bills to a perfect 2-0 record against a pair of playoff-caliber opponents, although he benefits from having one of the league’s elite players in Josh Allen.
Finally, Kyle Shanahan has navigated significant adversity this offseason, yet his team remains atop the best division in football. The 49ers have secured two decisive victories, upsetting the Rams in Week 1 before demolishing the Dolphins in Week 2.
Offensive Rookie Of The Year
The skinny: Kaelon Black didn’t provide much in the 49ers’ win over the Dolphins, rushing for 25 yards. But he had 65 rushing yards in Week 1.
Denzel Boston leads all rookies in receiving yards (154) and receiving touchdowns (2), logging 95 receiving yards in the Browns’ upset win over the Buccaneers.
Jadarian Price leads all rookies in rushing yards (104) and carries (23), as the Seahawks haven’t missed Kenneth Walker so far.
Regarding the absence of quarterbacks on this list, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Jack Strand (8-for-15 for 59 yards and an interception) is the only rookie quarterback to have taken an offensive snap through the first two games of the season.
Defensive Rookie Of The Year
The skinny: Anthony Hill Jr. leads the league with 26 combined tackles, but Josiah Trotter continues to make the most game-changing plays, with 24 combined tackles, a sack and an interception returned for a score.
Hezekiah Masses, meanwhile, recorded two interceptions against Justin Herbert and the Chargers, cementing his place as one of the many reasons the Raiders have exceeded expectations so far this season.
MVP
The skinny: Brock Purdy continues to set a remarkably high standard for efficiency. He has posted the most games with at least a 140 passer rating (eight) through a quarterback’s first five years in league history. He had a 149.1 passer rating in the 49ers’ win over the Dolphins, throwing for as many touchdowns (2) as he did incompletions.
While Patrick Mahomes threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns, what truly stood out was his ability to aggressively push the ball down the field after failing to do so in Week 1 against the Broncos.
Still, Josh Allen leads the league with nine total touchdowns. He recorded five total scores in the Bills’ decisive victory over the Detroit Lions, following his four-touchdown performance against a strong Texans defense the prior week.
