Move Over Mahomes: Dolphins Must Contain Chiefs’ New Weapon

The Miami Dolphins defense will have its hands full against the Kansas City Chiefs.

They’ll need to find a way to contain Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

However, running back Kenneth Walker III has been the spark plug for the Chiefs’ offense this season.

“I think he’s a really good player, really explosive,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Sean Duggan said. “I think when you watch him, his ability to stop and start and accelerate is really impressive. And then the thing I always appreciate is he’s a violent runner. He lowers his shoulder on contact. He’s going to take everything we got and then more. We told our guys, never assume he’s down. Like everyone to the ball, because the way he runs the ball is impressive. His contact balance and ability to break tackles and fight for extra yards. He’s an impressive back.”

The key for the Dolphins defense is slowing down Walker

Walker, acquired in free agency last offseason after signing a three-year, $45 million deal, has 369 all-purpose yards, leading the NFL through two weeks. Instead of focusing solely on stopping the Chiefs’ passing game with Mahomes and Kelce, Kansas City has added another dynamic element to its offense in Walker.

Walker, the Super Bowl LX MVP with the Seattle Seahawks last season, has carried his strong postseason run into this season. Through two games, the Chiefs’ balanced offense is averaging an NFL-best 457.5 total yards per game, a massive jump from 320.6 yards per game in 2025.

Walker’s addition has forced opposing teams to respect the Chiefs’ rushing attack. That creates a conundrum because defenses must decide whether to stack the box to stop Walker or play the pass, which could open up running lanes.

Miami’s defense allows 112.5 rushing yards per game, ranking 18th in the league. The Dolphins actually held Christian McCaffrey to just 23 yards on 10 carries during last weekend’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The task doesn’t get any easier for the Dolphins’ defense. They’ll now face the league-leading rushing attack.