Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Challenged by Charbonnet
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Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Monday that Walker and rookie Zach Charbonnet "will be battling", Seattle Sports 770 reports. "We're gonna find out how far [Charbonnet] can take it in terms of the receiving part of it," Carroll said. "We know he's really good at it. But so is Kenneth, so those guys will be battling."
It isn't quite clear from Carroll's comment if he's referring to competing for playing time in general or specifically on passing downs. Charbonnet, an incoming second-round pick, caught 61 passes in two seasons at UCLA, whereas Walker (a 2022 second-rounder) had only 19 receptions in three seasons between Wake Forest and MSU. Walker did catch 27 balls as a rookie, though for only 165 yards (6.1 per catch, 4.7 YPT) while doing nearly all of his damage on the ground to the tune of a 228-1,050-9 rushing line. The impressive running makes him a strong favorite to keep the starting job and lead role, but there's no question a prospect of Charbonnet's caliber poses a threat to Walker's touch volume. A split between the two could be problematic for fantasy managers, especially if the Seahawks settle on DeeJay Dallas or seventh-round rookie Kenny McIntosh as their third-down/hurry-up specialist ahead of Walker or Charbonnet.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Joined by Day 2 rookie
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Walker will be joined in the backfield by 2023 second-round running back Zach Charbonnet, Gregg Bell of The News Tribune reports.
A second-round pick in 2022, Walker started the season injured and didn't take over as the starter until Rashaad Penny went down with a broken leg Week 5. Walker never looked back once being handed the reins, as he finished the regular season with 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns on 228 carries (4.6 YPC) and 27 catches (on 35 targets) for 165 yards. Notably, he posted 100-plus rushing yards in each of the final three games. Despite the dominant effort, it's not surprising that the Seahawks added to the backfield on Day 2. In fact, adding depth was necessary at some point during the draft. Head coach Pete Carroll's offense requires a heavy run game, and Walker frequented the injury report last year despite missing just two games. Charbonnet is an excellent prospect that should do well when he's on the field. However, Carroll will almost certainly make Walker the clear starter as long as he continues last year's effort.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Finds end zone against Niners
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Walker carried the ball 15 times for 63 yards and a touchdown and caught his only target for three yards in Saturday's 41-23 wild-card loss to the 49ers.
Facing perhaps the best run defense in the league, Walker held his own and ran in a seven-yard score early in the second quarter for Seattle's first points of the day. The running back's playoff effort capped a rookie season that saw him compile 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground in the regular season despite not taking over the starting role until Week 6. Walker should begin the 2023 campaign as the unquestioned No. 1 back for Seattle even if Rashaad Penny (ankle) gets re-signed.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Ready for wild-card round
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Walker (ankle) doesn't have a designation for Saturday's wild-card game at San Francisco, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
Walker avoided Seattle's first injury report of the week entirely Tuesday before showing up one day later as a non-participant due to the ankle injury that has lingered since early December. With his status cleared up ahead of the weekend, though, Wednesday's absence clearly was maintenance-based, likely to keep the rookie second-round pick as healthy as possible. Walker thus is set to lead the team's backfield Saturday, which has resulted in 98 touches for 450 yards from scrimmage and no TDs over the last four contests.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Extensive workload in overtime win
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Walker carried the ball 29 times for 114 yards in Sunday's 19-16 overtime win over the Rams. He added one catch for 10 yards.
Walker saw a career-high 29 rushing attempts, his third consecutive game with at least 20 carries. He wasn't particularly efficient -- he averaged 3.9 yards per carry -- though he did manage a couple long gains of 20 and 15 yards. Walker closed an impressive rookie campaign with 1,050 rushing yards, which is made even more notable due to the fact that he had only 58 yards through Week 4. The Seahawks await their postseason fate, but Walker will be a key to any potential playoff run for the team.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Cleared to play
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Walker (ankle/illness) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Rams, Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.
Walker topped 20 carries and 100 rushing yards while playing through the same ankle injury the past two weeks, and he'll be out there Sunday despite missing some practice time because of an illness. The Seahawks may ride the rookie hard again, as they need a win plus a Packers loss to qualify for the playoffs.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: No practice yet this week
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Walker (ankle/illness) was held out of Thursday's practice, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
It's uncertain whether a lingering ankle concern, an illness or a combination of the two are keeping Walker sidelined this week, but he has yet to log any activity after two sessions. The same can be said for fellow running backs Travis Homer (ankle) and DeeJay Dallas (ankle), so the situation in the Seahawks backfield remains in flux with just one more chance to practice during Week 18 prep. Friday's injury report will unveil if any of the trio sidestep a designation ahead of Sunday's game versus the Rams. However, if Walker is able to suit up for the 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff, he's the likely candidate to handle the majority of RB reps after posting back-to-back 100-yard performances on the ground.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: No practice Wednesday
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Walker didn't practice Wednesday due to an ankle injury and an illness, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.
The Seahawks have been especially cautious with Walker since he sustained an ankle injury Week 13 at the Rams. He sat out Week 14 against the Panthers, but he's played in each of the last three games despite not logging many, if any, practice reps before those kickoffs. Overall, the rookie second-round pick has racked up 68 touches for 326 yards from scrimmage during that stretch, including back-to-back 100-yard efforts on the ground. Fellow running backs Travis Homer (ankle) and DeeJay Dallas (ankle) also sat out Wednesday's session, so the trio will be watched as the weekend approaches to see how Seattle's backfield may break down Sunday versus the Rams.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Playing Sunday
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Walker (ankle) is listed as active Sunday versus the Jets.
Walker has been tending to an ankle injury for most of the last month, sitting out Week 14 against the Panthers but playing both of the last two games. During that span, he tallied 44 touches for 184 yards from scrimmage, so he should be good to handle his typical majority share of the backfield work for the Seahawks.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Expected to play
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Coach Pete Carroll said Friday that Walker (ankle) is expected to play and should have "fresh legs" for Sunday's game against the Jets, Curtis Crabtree of Fox 13 Seattle reports.
The rookie officially is listed as questionable after not practicing Wednesday and being limited Thursday and Friday. It sounds like his availability won't actually come down to the 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff, though cautious fantasy managers may want to keep a distant eye on the situation anyway given some of the injury shenanigans that have come out of Seattle the past few years. Walker played through the same ankle injury last week and took 28 touches for 105 yards in a loss to the Chiefs after being listed as questionable on the final injury report.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Listed as questionable
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Walker (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets, Curtis Crabtree of Fox 13 Seattle reports.
Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune suggests Walker and WR Tyler Lockett (questionable, hand) both are likely to play with the Seahawks battling for a wild-card spot, though it is possible neither is at his best. Walker played through the same ankle injury last week and took 28 touches for 105 yards from scrimmage in a loss to the Chiefs, so he figures to give it another go ahead of Sunday's 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Limited practice Thursday
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Walker (ankle) was limited in practice Thursday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
Walker didn't practice last week due to a lingering ankle injury, but he was able to suit up for Saturday's eventual loss at Kansas City and turn 53 percent of the snaps into 105 yards from scrimmage on 28 touches. With an increase in activity Thursday from Wednesday's DNP, he appears to be getting healthier, while reserve running backs DeeJay Dallas (ankle) and Travis Homer (ankle) were limited and non-participants, respectively. If Walker again is able to handle the No. 1 role out of Seattle's backfield Sunday versus the Jets, Dallas seems like a better bet than Homer to earn the team's complementary reps at running back.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: No practice Wednesday
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Walker (ankle) was held out of Wednesday's practice, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
Walker also didn't practice last week due to the same listed injury before suiting up Saturday in Kansas City and pacing the Seahawks backfield to the tune of 53 percent of the snaps and 28 touches for 105 yards from scrimmage. The rest of Seattle's running backs (DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer) combined for 36 plays and eight touches, so Walker clearly is the team's top option on the ground if he's available. Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune suggested the Seahawks are limiting Walker's on-field work during the week to ensure he can play on game days, but the rookie's status will still be one watch closely ahead of Sunday's contest against the Jets.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker III: RBs to Start
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Walker returned from his one-game absence with an ankle injury in Week 15 against San Francisco and did OK with 11 PPR points, including four catches for 32 yards. His ankle is still an issue since he missed practice Tuesday, but all indications are he'll play in Week 16 at Kansas City. I expect him to perform well, and you should use Walker as a No. 2 running back in all leagues. His role in the passing game could be vital this week since Tyler Lockett (finger) is out, and the Chiefs allow the most receptions to running backs this season with 88. They also are second in receiving yards allowed to running backs (675), and 13 running backs have scored at least six PPR points with just their receiving totals alone against Kansas City this year. Walker has at least three catches in three of his past four full games, and hopefully Geno Smith throws him the ball a lot in this contest.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Suiting up Week 16
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Walker (ankle/back) is active for Saturday's game against the Chiefs.
Though Walker sat out practices Tuesday through Thursday due to his pair of injuries and ended up taking a questionable tag into the weekend, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll indicated the running back would play Saturday. Carroll's prediction will ultimately come to pass after Walker avoided the inactive list, but it's unclear if the rookie will be limited to any degree while he's still banged up. After sitting out the Seahawks' Week 14 loss to the Panthers, Walker didn't have any major restrictions with his workload in the Week 15 loss to the 49ers, as he accounted for 79 yards on 16 touches (12 carries, four receptions) while taking on a 75 percent snap share.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Status in question for Week 16
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Walker (ankle/back) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game at Kansas City, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
Seattle held Walker out of practice Tuesday and Wednesday, and he likely went down as a non-participant at the final session of Week 16 prep Thursday, per Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. With game statuses now known for this weekend, Walker not only has the lingering ankle issue attached to his name, but a back injury as well. The rookie second-round pick's upcoming availability thus is up in the air, but managers who may be relying on Walker at least will be aware if he's active or not about 90 minutes before Saturday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. Fellow running back DeeJay Dallas (ankle) also is questionable, leaving Travis Homer as the only healthy member of the backfield on the Seahawks' active roster.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Spectator for last Week 16 practice
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Walker (ankle) wasn't spotted practicing with the Seahawks' other healthy players during the media-access portion of Thursday's session, Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.
Later Thursday, the Seahawks will release their final Week 16 injury report, with Bell expecting that Walker will be listed as questionable for Saturday's game in Kansas City after going down as a non-participant Tuesday and Wednesday. While a lack of practice activity won't disqualify Walker from potentially suiting up this weekend, it's not an especially ideal scenario for fantasy managers who are weighing whether to include the rookie back in lineups for Week 16. In what's otherwise been a mostly promising first NFL season, Walker is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry while collecting 11 receptions across his last four appearances, missing one game along the way (Week 14 against the Panthers) due to a lingering ankle injury. Even if Walker is cleared ahead of Saturday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, he could be on a restricted snap count while he manages the ankle issue.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: Seen at practice Wednesday
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Walker (ankle) is present at Wednesday's practice, but he didn't take part during the media-access portion of the session, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.
Walker officially kicked off Week 16 prep with an absence Tuesday, but it's unclear if he'll replicate that listing one day later. If he does, he'll be afforded just one more opportunity to mix into drills before the Seahawks likely tab him with a designation for Saturday's contest in Kansas City. With DeeJay Dallas (ankle) also sitting out Tuesday, Travis Homer is the only healthy running back on Seattle's active roster after the team waived Tony Jones earlier Wednesday.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker: No practice Tuesday
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Coach Pete Carroll said Walker (ankle) won't participate in Tuesday's practice, Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.
Walker sat out Week 14 due to a right ankle injury, but he was able to play last Thursday against the 49ers after following an LP/FP/FP practice regimen. He ended up playing a typical 75 percent of snaps and notched 16 touches for 79 yards from scrimmage, but with the Seahawks embarking on Week 16 prep Tuesday, he'll kick it off with no activity. Carroll ominously said, "We'll see," when it comes to Walker this week, so his status will be one to watch as Saturday's game at Kansas City approaches.
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Seahawks' Kenneth Walker III: Sit Him (Lineup Decisions)
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Walker should be in line to play a lot after missing last week, but it's expected that his efficiency plummets against the 49ers' terrific run defense. If you're starting him, you're hoping he finds a way to reach 60 total yards and an end-zone visit, but that's far from certain. He's just barely inside my top 24 at running back; I'd rather start Isiah Pacheco, Brian Robinson and Zonovan Knight.
