The Kansas City Chiefs are unexpectedly struggling this season, sitting third in the AFC West with a 5–5 record despite boasting one of the league’s most productive passing attacks. Their defense has been strong, and while the ground game hasn’t been dominant, it has been serviceable.
But the future of their backfield is uncertain. Both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco are set to hit free agency in 2026, and neither has fully cemented himself as a long-term RB1. With major questions looming at the position, the Chiefs may be forced to find a new lead back in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Chiefs Predicted To Select Washington RB in 2026 NFL Draft
While the Chiefs’ running game isn’t among the league’s worst, it’s far from elite. Kansas City sits in the middle of the pack with 115.3 rushing yards per game, and notably, Patrick Mahomes ranks second on the team with four rushing touchdowns.
The Chiefs can’t overhaul their ground game midseason, but they can look toward the 2026 NFL Draft for a long-term solution. In his latest three-round mock draft, PFSN’s James Fragoza has Kansas City selecting Washington running back Jonah Coleman with the No. 46 overall pick.
“Jonah Coleman doesn’t have the eye-popping 40 or highlight-reel hops, but what he does have is a bulldog build and a relentless motor that just wears defenses down,” Fragoza wrote. “At 5’9″, 228 pounds, he churns out tough yards inside, showing sharp feet, quick cuts, and the contact balance to shake tackles and bounce off bodies, even as a receiver.”
Coleman may not possess elite long-speed or explosive testing numbers, but for his size, he is built for early-down work and has the potential to become a high-volume feature back in the right offense. He brings excellent short-area quickness, cutting ability, and feel for tempo, and as Fragoza highlighted, he routinely absorbs contact, resets, and keeps plays alive.
Coleman began his college career at Arizona, flashing talent in limited opportunities before breaking out after transferring to Washington. Last season, he rushed for 1,053 yards and 10 touchdowns, adding 177 receiving yards on 23 receptions.
This year, through nine games, he has already produced 645 rushing yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns, along with 335 receiving yards and two scores. He currently ranks 10th in PFSN’s CFB RB Impact metric with an impressive 86.4 grade.
With Pacheco entering a contract year, along with concerns about durability and off-the-field issues, the Chiefs may hesitate to commit to him long term. Hunt, meanwhile, has not seized the starting role in a way that inspires confidence.
All signs point to Kansas City turning to the 2026 draft for a running back who can finally stabilize the position, and Coleman fits the profile of the physical, reliable RB1 they’ve been missing.