What a difference one game in the NFL seems to make. In reality, it doesn't, but perception often lies to us. In the Seattle Seahawks' Week 2 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, running back Kenneth Walker III was great. Zach Charbonnet wasn't.
But 12s know that Walker is capable of greatness. As a rookie in 2022, he had three runs of 60-plus yards and looked like Rashaad Penny when Penny was healthy. However, injuries began to affect Walker as well.
Walker missed multiple games in 2023 and 2024, including six last season. Meanwhile, Charbonnet missed just one game in his first two seasons. He also looked better than a banged-up Walker in training camp this year. Perhaps Charbonnet was ready to take over as RB1 from Walker.
Seattle Seahawks' Zach Charbonnet dealing with a foot injury ahead of Week 3 versus the Saints
Not so far. In Week 2, Walker looked like his rookie self and ran for 105 yards on 13 carries, and caught one pass for 13 yards. Charbonnet picked up only 10 yards on 15 carries. Most importantly, he injured his foot, and specifically, his toe.
He didn't practice all week and is officially listed as doubtful against the New Orleans Saints in Week 3. Normally, when a player doesn't practice all week and has an injury that prevents them from cutting and running, that player won't play in the next game.
So far this season, the Seattle Seahawks have had Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker split reps. Obviously, if Charbonnet is out, you are going to want Walker on your fantasy football team. The next running back up is George Holani, and while he has shown promise, he hasn't proven he can be good in real games.
Walker will get the ball a lot if Charbonnet misses Week 3. If Walker gets the holes that he did in Week 2 and stays healthy, he could run for 150 yards with an uptick in carries. He might also catch a few passes out of the backfield. We will keep this page updated with the latest on Charbonnet's game status.
The hope, of course, is that the extra use for Walker doesn't lead to any kind of injury for him. He has been seemingly easily hurt the last two years. Now that the Seahawks need him most, he needs to stay available.