Kareem Hunt burst onto the NFL scene this season with a spectacular opening day against the defending Super Bowl Champion Patriots and has continued to deliver through week 3. Hunt is currently leading the NFL in rushing with 401 yards. To put that into perspective the next closest back is Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook with 288 yards and last years rushing leader Ezekiel Elliot only has 192 yards.
Expect Hunts number to continue to climb as Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has no plans to decrease his role in the offense. When asked about Hunts workload Reid said,“No, I think we’re OK with how we’re using him. We’re still getting Charcandrick (West) in there for reps, and if the other (Akeem) Hunt comes along here we’ll have a third back that we’re comfortable with. I think we’re OK right now…”
Hunt, who is on pace for 299 total touches, set an NFL record this past Sunday becoming the first player in league history to score a touchdown from at least 50 yards out in each of his first 3 games. He also snagged 9 catches for 137 and 2 scores this season. If he continues on this pace Hunt will have the most touches by a Chief since Jamal Charles in 2013. Reid is hopeful Hunt doesn’t hit the rookie wall, yet he is still unconcerned:
“I’ve seen enough make it through and I’ve seen some that hit a wall… I just go off of the feel I have and the experience, we’ll be all right there.”
Assuming Kansas City has found a new bell cow in Hunt, Spencer Ware could be the odd man out next offseason after tearing his ACL this preseason. Ware, whose contract expires at the end of 2018, could be traded this offseason for a late round pick.
