Kenneth Walker III has been exactly what the Kansas City Chiefs hoped for when they signed him to a three-year, $45 million contract in free agency. The former Super Bowl MVP with the Seahawks has carried over his postseason form into the regular season, becoming the only running back with consecutive 100-yard games through two weeks.
Walker is currently leading the NFL in rushing with 290 yards and one rushing touchdown, averaging a strong 6.2 yards per carry. He’s also contributed in the passing game with nine catches for 79 yards and a receiving touchdown. As expected, his arrival has injected more big-play potential into the Chiefs’ offense: Kansas City has already recorded nine runs of at least 10 yards in two games, compared with 44 such runs all of last season. With Patrick Mahomes back from a season-ending knee injury, Walker’s explosiveness means Mahomes doesn’t have to manufacture every highlight.
Walker has also benefited from lighter defensive fronts — he’s faced a “light box” (six or fewer defenders at the line) on 36.2% of his carries through two weeks, up from 26.7% last season in Seattle (per Next Gen Stats). That increased space is a direct result of defenses having to respect Kansas City’s passing attack with Mahomes under center. Still, there are durability questions: Walker already has a league-high 56 touches through two games after being limited to 257 touches last season to preserve him for the postseason. If his current pace continues he’d finish with about 391 touches, the highest total of his career, so the Chiefs should consider rotating him more — using rookie Emmett Johnson as a spell option to keep Walker fresh for the full season.
Here are my top three choices for the major awards heading into Week 3.
Offensive Player of the Year
– Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle): He’s been phenomenal to start the year, responsible for 42% of Seattle’s offense through two games after accounting for 44% of the receiving offense last year. Maintaining this level all season would be historic.
– Derrick Henry: After a modest outing in a loss to New Orleans (68 yards, one TD), Henry has a chance to rebound against a Dallas run defense that’s been yielding significant rushing yards.
– Kenneth Walker III (Kansas City): His early production and big-play ability make him a strong candidate if he can stay healthy and sustain this pace.
Defensive Player of the Year
– Dallas Turner (Minnesota): He’s become the primary pass-rusher for one of the league’s top defenses, tied for third in sacks (3) and leading the NFL in quarterback pressures (20) and QB hits (11).
– Greg Rousseau (Buffalo): Rousseau leads the league in sacks with four and is tied for fifth in pressures (12), anchoring the Bills’ front.
– T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh): A perennial impact defender who remains a threat to influence games.
Coach of the Year
– Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota): He’s guided the Vikings to a surprising 2-0 start while navigating quarterback changes, including wins with backup Carson Wentz and an upset over Chicago in Week 2.
– Joe Brady (Buffalo): The Bills are 2-0 against strong opponents, and Brady has exceeded expectations in his first head-coaching stint — helped, of course, by having Josh Allen.
– Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco): Despite offseason turmoil, Shanahan has his team atop a tough division, with statement wins over the Rams and Dolphins.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
– Kaelon Black (San Francisco): After a 65-yard effort in Week 1, Black managed 25 rushing yards against the Dolphins, showing early flashes.
– Denzel Boston (Cleveland): He leads all rookies with 154 receiving yards and two receiving TDs, including a 95-yard game in the Browns’ upset of the Buccaneers.
– Jadarian Price (Seattle): Price tops rookies in rushing yards (104) and carries (23), and Seattle hasn’t looked like it’s missing Kenneth Walker so far.
(Note on rookie QBs: Falcons rookie Jack Strand is the only first-year quarterback to have taken offensive snaps through two games, completing 8-of-15 for 59 yards and one interception.)
Defensive Rookie of the Year
– Anthony Jr. Hill (Tennessee): He leads rookies with 26 combined tackles through two games.
– Josiah Trotter (Tampa Bay): Trotter has made high-impact plays — 24 combined tackles, a sack and a pick-six.
– Hezekiah Masses (Las Vegas): Masses picked off Justin Herbert twice in the Raiders’ surprise win over the Chargers, highlighting his playmaking ability.
Most Valuable Player
– Brock Purdy (San Francisco): Purdy continues to post elite efficiency numbers — he already has the most games with a 140+ passer rating (eight) through a QB’s first five seasons in league history. He posted a 149.1 rating against the Dolphins, throwing two touchdowns while keeping turnovers low.
– Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City): Mahomes threw for 382 yards and three TDs recently and showed growth downfield after a quieter Week 1.
– Josh Allen (Buffalo): Allen leads the NFL with nine total touchdowns and has put up monster-scoring games, including a five-touchdown performance in one outing following a four-TD game the prior week.
Fan Take: This stretch of performances matters because it reshapes expectations early in the season — individual surges (like Walker’s) can quickly tilt team strategies and award races. If these trends hold, we could see a shifting balance of power in the NFL and renewed emphasis on managing workloads to keep playmakers healthy for the long haul.
Source: www.foxsports.com
