The Kansas City Chiefs mixed things up a bit in their blowout win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, giving Brashard Smith a lot more run down the stretch. The 22-year-old rookie is now getting a lot of looks in dynasty leagues and other deeper formats, emerging as a hot new name in fantasy football.
Smith is currently rostered in just 7.9% of ESPN leagues and 11% of Yahoo leagues – up 5.2% and 5%, respectively. If the running back didn’t already get scooped up on waivers in your league, is he worth adding to your bench for the rest of the season?
Where did Brashard Smith come from?
The Chiefs selected Smith in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, using the No. 228 overall pick on the SMU product. He spent the first three years of his college career as a wide receiver at Miami (FL) before hitting the transfer portal. Smith rushed for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns and went for 327 yards and four touchdowns on 29 receptions in 2024 alone. Over the course of four NCAA seasons, Smith also returned 53 kickoffs for 1,295 yards and a touchdown. At 5-foot-10, 194 pounds, Smith ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Smith was the 21st running back to come off the board in April. For context, Kyle Monangai was 22nd and Jacory Croskey-Merritt was 25th.
Brashard Smith Fantasy Value
In Week 1, Smith didn’t get a touch on any of his eight offensive snaps. but he did return two kicks. He got one carry in Week 2, then two in Week 3, all while continuing to chip in on special teams. Smith finally got involved in Week 4 when the Chiefs stomped the Baltimore Ravens, taking four carries for 9 yards and three receptions for 27 yards. His 26.0% snap share dropped back below 10.0% in Weeks 5 and 6, but he notched one carry, six catches and seven targets across 12 total snaps.
Smith finally broke out in Week 7, converting 14 carries into 39 yards. He also secured all five of his targets for 42 receiving yards. Kansas City gave him 34.6% of offensive snaps amid Kareem Hunt’s apparent leg injury – albeit one that didn’t rule him out for the rest of the contest.
On the whole this season, Smith is averaging 4.7 PPR fantasy points per game. He has cleared 5.0 in four straight weeks, however, topping out at 13.1 on Sunday. He is averaging 7.9 PPR points per game during that stretch, even with Isiah Pacheco serving as the starter and Hunt eating away at touches here and there.
Is Brashard Smith worth a roster spot?
At his age, in the Chiefs’ offense, Smith has a very bright future ahead. An entirely feasible scenario for Smith is that he fills the Jerick McKinnon role from a few years back. McKinnon racked up 416 total yards and nine total touchdowns on 33 carries, 31 targets and 27 receptions in the final six games of the 2022 regular season. That was good for an average of 20.4 PPR fantasy points per game, when he was only seeing action on 50.8% of offensive snaps. Pacheco – a seventh-round rookie himself at the time – was getting 41.7% of the offensive snaps over that same span.
Pacheco has a stronger grip on the job now, seeing the field on 64.1% of offensive snaps over the past three weeks. So even if Smith overtakes an aging Hunt, he won’t be a starter, barring injury. Smith’s role in the passing game has raised his floor, but he still doesn’t seem worth a FLEX play any time soon. Rashee Rice’s return from suspension has also given Patrick Mahomes no shortage of pass-catchers to work with, whereas McKinnon’s emergence came amid a vacuum of talent. If your league has deep benches, take a flier, but adding Smith would be a true stash.
And yet, Smith is absolutely worth a long-term play in dynasty leagues. Pacheco, Hunt and Elijah Mitchell are all pending free agents, so Smith could be the alpha this time next year. Considering he is in line to be a starter in 2026, maybe Andy Reid gives him a few test runs as the season chugs along. If the Chiefs stay hot, continue to build big leads and have a playoff spot locked up by December or January, that could open the door to more Smith action, too.
