Coming out of the 2025 preseason, Seattle Seahawks fans had every reason to believe that Klint Kubiak’s offense would be much more impressive running the ball. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.
Seattle has the 19th-ranked rushing attack in the NFL despite having the eighth-most attempts. That results in the team having the 30th-ranked yards per attempt average in the league, a dismal 3.7 yards per carry.
It’s a frustrating outcome for an offense that carries two promising and talented young running backs in Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. But for all the promise and talent, Seattle can’t seem to find reliable production from both backs on a week-to-week basis.
Seattle Seahawks’ stats reveal Klint Kubiak’s backfield plan isn’t working as intended
It’s not lost on Seahawks fans the lopsided standings in the stat sheet between Walker and Charbonnet. Walker is averaging 4.5 yards per carry with 225 yards more than Charbonnet, with only 23 more carries.
On first glance, that would appear to be a result of Charbonnet missing Week 3, but despite scoring two of his three touchdowns that week, Walker only averaged 2.7 yards per carry on 16 attempts.
On a normal week, it’s clear Kubiak tries to get both players equally involved in the offense, but it isn’t working out. In half of his games this season, Charbonnet has averaged 3.3 yards per carry or less. In those games, Walker averaged 8.1, 4.3, and 3.4. Excusing the outlier against Pittsburgh, Walker proves to be more effective even against a stiff run defense that has some answers for Seattle.
The Tampa Bay game is the best example of what Seattle would like to see out of both backs. Charbonnet averaged a clean four yards per carry on nine attempts against the Buccaneers, and even threw in a score. Walker averaged 8.6 yards per game that week on 10 carries, aided by a 31-yard run. A nearly even split, heavy and reliable production.
But the game sits as an outlier in a collection of contests in which either both backs underperformed, or Charbonnet was clearly used too much.
Klint Kubiak’s backfield approach needs to start revolving around Kenneth Walker III
Charbonnet has his moments, and he’s a fine goal-line back, but Seattle’s coaching staff is misreading the situation. If Charbonnet is going to continue to pump out poor averages on his touches, then he shouldn’t be held as the 1B option in the backfield, and instead be viewed as a No. 2 to Walker.
The Arizona game highlights the effectiveness of that strategy in the box score. Walker had 20 touches in that game with 110 yards from scrimmage. Charbonnet had 10 touches for 48 yards from scrimmage and a score. With more opportunities for Walker between the 20s, the production value gets a bit of a bump for both players.
Seattle will undoubtedly continue to alternate each back from series to series and send Charbonnet out in some goalline situations, but in doing so, they ought to know that the outcome won’t always be favorable.