Mahomes Goes Under-Center at Camp as Chiefs Tease a Run-First Reboot
Eight months after tearing his ACL, Mahomes is taking more under-center snaps — and Kenneth Walker III's arrival hints at a downhill overhaul.
New downhill scheme in KC could push his RB22 value way up.
- Mahomes torn ACL Week 15 2025, fully cleared for camp
- Only one 20+ yard RB rush for KC all last season
- Walker III: 1,027 rush yds, 5 TD in 2025
- Mahomes ranks QB9 (#19 overall) in our board
- Mahomes down 6.3 fantasy pts over his last 5 games (2025)
Patrick Mahomes is standing somewhere new at Chiefs camp — directly behind his center. Eight months removed from a Week 15 ACL tear, Mahomes has been logging notably more under-center reps than in years past, a real departure for an offense that's lived in shotgun for most of his career. He was fully cleared to open camp, so this isn't a limitation thing on its face.
The wrinkle lines up with bigger noises coming out of Kansas City. GM Brett Veach has hinted the team wants a more explosive, downhill run game, and the addition of Kenneth Walker III — who piled up 1,027 rushing yards and five scores across 17 games last season (2025 actual) — gives them the back to run it. Considering the Chiefs managed exactly one 20-plus-yard run from a running back all of last season, the appetite for change makes sense.
Why This Might Stick
Eric Bieniemy is back as offensive coordinator, and he ran the KC offense from 2018-22 when explosive plays were the whole identity. Under-center looks pair naturally with a heavier run script and play-action, which is a comfortable, low-stress way to ease a quarterback back from a major knee injury. Whether it survives to Week 1 or fades once Mahomes is fully trusting the leg again is the open question.
On the fantasy side, temper the Mahomes hype for now. We have him as QB9 (#19 overall), and his 2025 line — 3,587 pass yards, 22 TDs and zero interceptions across 14 games, good for 304 PPR points — was efficient but not the ceiling season fantasy managers remember. His last five games before the injury ran 6.3 fantasy points below his own season average, and a run-leaning scheme caps his upside further. He's a solid QB1, not a league-winner at the position right now.
The more interesting name is Walker. He's currently RB22 (#69 overall) off a 192-PPR-point season, and a genuine downhill scheme built around him would push that number up in a hurry. Isiah Pacheco is gone to Detroit (RB54 in our ranks), so the touch competition in KC's backfield thinned out.
Bottom line: hold Mahomes as your QB1 and don't overpay chasing a bounce-back that a run-first tilt could suppress. The value play is buying Walker III now, before this offensive identity shift gets priced in. If the under-center look holds into the preseason, his role — and his ceiling — climbs fast.
