Brashard Smith — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Smith spent three seasons at Miami almost exclusively as a receiver, carrying the ball just 18 times for 177 yards and a touchdown across 35 games while catching passes out of the backfield and on the perimeter (14/199/2, 33/308, and 22/263/2). The move to SMU in 2024 and a full transition to running back unlocked a different player entirely. He ran for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns on 235 carries while adding 39 catches for 327 yards and four receiving scores, announcing himself as one of the more versatile backs in the draft class.

Kansas City selected him in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and the fit makes sense. His 4.39 forty gives the Chiefs something their backfield has lacked: difference-maker home run speed. His pre-draft knock on Smith was hesitancy when reading traffic in tight spaces, but that's a coachable issue that typically improves with NFL reps and experience.

His most likely role in Kansas City is a passing-down specialist in the mold of Jerick McKinnon's 2022 season (56/512/9), a mismatch weapon out of the backfield who can stress defenses in space. His size (5'10" and 195 lbs.) raises legitimate questions about his durability and effectiveness as a pass protector, which could limit his three-down value early on. But Smith’s more than just an outside runner. He has a feel for interior gaps and the foot speed to turn a crease into a chunk gain. Once in the open field, Smith is elusive and difficult to bring down cleanly, even if he doesn't have the power to run through contact at the finish.

Kansas City gave Smith 69 touches in his rookie season, leading to 323 combined yards with a touchdown and 25 catches. He gained only 3.4 yards per rush and 6.9 yards per catch. The Chiefs gave him winning touches (19) in only Week 7 (14/39 with five catches for 42 yards).