Even though Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III's value took a bit of a hit when the team drafted Zach Charbonnet, he kept his head down, got to work, and held onto the RB1 job. Now, with Charbonnet out for the season, he will have to take his game to the next level.
For most of the season, Walker III has been a prime candidate to leave in free agency. The Seahawks would still have a solid option to turn to in Charbonnet before spending on the position. Now, that may not be the case.
Walker will be the focal point of Klint Kubiak's offense in the NFC Championship Game. And, after torching the Los Angeles Rams for 100 yards in December, he will now take the field knowing that he will probably be running for a job on Sunday.
NFC Championship game with be Seattle Seahawks' Kenneth Walker III's free-agency audition
Walker has already proved that he can be a true workhorse. He has at least 900 rushing yards in three of four seasons, including two 1,000+ yard seasons. He's also scored at least five touchdowns in each of his years as a pro.
The timing of Charbonnet's injury puts him in jeopardy for the start of training camp, and the team might want to err on the side of caution with him. As such, this will probably be Walker's best shot to prove that he deserves another deal with Mike Macdonald's team.
But even if that's not the case, this game will give him a platform to let every other RB-needy team in the league know that he's worth an investment.
The Rams have a stout run defense, giving up just 110.8 rushing yards per game, but Walker averaged a decent 83.5 rushing yards per game against them this season, even though he shared touches with Charbonnet. He also averages 4.8 yards per carry against them in seven matchups.
Walker is coming off putting up 116 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries against the San Francisco 49ers. And with Sam Darnold still nursing an oblique injury and struggling to take care of the football in his two matchups with the Rams, the Seahawks will do the right thing by riding the hot hand and getting Walker involved early and often.
There's nothing more important than making the Super Bowl, and players shouldn't need any additional motivation. Still, he might be a little more focused and determined on Sunday, knowing that he might make or lose a lot of money with his performance.