There’s no doubt Emmett Johnson would like more playing time with the Kansas City Chiefs. With the team trading for Kenneth Walker before the draft, the running back position isn’t as open as the former Nebraska star would have preferred. Still, Johnson has made the most of his limited opportunities and wowed his team in the process.
Outside of Kansas City and Nebraska, the rookie fifth-round pick may be flying under the radar because Walker’s success this year has severely limited EJ’s playing time. He has 19 carries for 62 yards and 9 catches for an additional 109 yards.
The former Nebraska star is also carving out a role with the Chiefs as a special teams ace. Johnson has 9 kick returns this season for 245 yards, including a long of 41 yards. Even with his limited touches this year, the rookie is especially impressive in one area.
According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson isn’t just leading rookies but leading the entire NFL in missed tackle rate among running backs. Even more impressive, Johnson has a strong lead on the closest pursuer: his missed tackle rate is an incredible 50% this year.
Emmett Johnson leads NFL running backs in missed tackle rate despite limited Chiefs role
You read that right: Johnson has forced defenders to miss tackles 50% of the time. Granted, the running back’s shiftiness is nothing new. In some ways, his ability to make people miss might have been why he lasted as long as he did in last year’s draft.
Because he was so often dodging a tackler, he couldn’t really let loose at full speed that often. Still, there’s no doubt that his ability to avoid a tackle is why he was one of the best running backs to come through Nebraska in more than a decade.
For Nebraska last year, he entered the fall looking like he would compete with players like Mekhi Nelson for time on the field. However, very quickly it became clear he needed to be the workhorse of the running back room. Despite a slightly smaller frame, he carried the ball 251 times for 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns. He added 46 catches for another 370 yards and 3 scores.
The real question is if the Chiefs might eventually start giving Johnson more playing time. Kenneth Walker is on pace to absolutely blow away the number of touches he’s ever had in one season. At some point, KC will recognize it needs to give him a few more breathers and let someone else carry the load for a while.
If the team does recognize that quickly, the former Nebraska football star looks ready to take on the role and keep showing why he was an NFL Draft steal.
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