Not exactly confidence-inducing coachspeak. With Kenneth Walker III vacating the premises and Zach Charbonnet’s February ACL surgery leaving the backfield in a state of absolute triage, Mike Macdonald is desperately hoping Emanuel Wilson and Day 2 rookies fill the team’s massive early-season RB void.
Charbonnet rumbled for 730 yards and 12 scores last year, but his 3.8 True Yards Per Carry (#49) and 22.1-percent Juke Rate (#32) scream “volume-dependent grinder” rather than a high-octane efficiency engine. He’s a stone-cold lock to open 2026 on the PUP list, and the Seahawks are telegraphing that they’re ready to pivot to a fresh set of legs in the NFL Draft.
Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) tore ...
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that running...
Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) posted...
Michael-Shawn Dugar from The Athletic insists Kenny McIntosh “should get an opportunity” to be Seattle’s lead back while Zach Charbonnet rehabs a torn ACL.
Dugar believes a healthy McIntosh is as talented as any running back on Seattle’s roster despite missing the 2025 season with his own ACL tear. He remains a viable deep dynasty flier, though his true value depends on whether the Seahawks draft backfield competition.
While Charbonnet’s surgery went well, an ACL tear in the Divisional Round (January) makes him a strong candidate for the PUP list to start the 2026 season. Even upon return, his grinder profile creates a natural pairing with a hyper-efficient playmaker. Price’s dynasty stock could double and his best ball stock would surge if he landed in Seattle in Round 1.
Zach Charbonnet had his postseason cut short when he tore his ACL against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. Five weeks later, he’s finally gone under the knife and came through with the ligament repair deemed a success.
There has been mild speculation that he may have had another injury that exacerbated the issue, forcing him to recover before addressing the ACL. However, there have been no announcements to that effect, and it is not uncommon for players to undergo a dedicated “pre-hab” before surgery. In those cases, the swelling and inflammation around the ligament must resolve before the procedure. The pre-hab regimen consists of several weeks of stretching and range-of-motion exercises. Throughout, physicians check the progress until the patient is deemed ready.
The weeks-long preparation, though common, pushes Charbonnet’s return date further into the 2026 season. He’ll need at least eight months of rehabilitation (likely more), placing a target date in late October at the earliest.
Fantasy lowdown: If there were any lingering questions about whether to re-sign Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker to a new contract before free agency, this should put them to rest. Not only that, it’s fair to assume that Seattle may pursue a back in free agency to spell Walker. Given the lack of surefire running back depth in the draft, it’s unlikely for Seattle to go hunting.
Dynasty managers will have to be patient and hope they get a nice boost from Charbonnet for the home stretch. He will likely go unselected in redraft leagues until October gives way to a mad dash to stash him from waivers.
Author: Sam Schneider (@BuyAndSellYou)
The Seattle Seahawks will be down a running back in the NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams, Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL and won’t play again this year. In addition to missing the rest of the playoffs, Charbonnet’s week one availability for next season is also in doubt.
Charbonnet finished the regular season with 184 carries for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns. In Charbonnet’s absence Ken Walker has the Seattle backfield to himself and likely becomes a priority re-signing in the offseason.
Walker rushed 19 times for 116 yards and three touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers and will be heavily featured again versus the Rams. His fantasy football stock is on the rise and he’ll only become more valuable with another strong performance.
Author: David Leonard Jr. (@RealDelcoDave)
The Seattle Seahawks sent the Carolina Panthers back home on Sunday to fight another day. Thanks to the team’s usage of its 1-2 backfield punch of Walker and Charbonnet, they also sent many fantasy managers, well, just home.
Walker and Charbonnet—er, Charbonnet and Walker have done this dance for Seattle (regardless of coaching staff) so many times that managers of fantasy football squads probably should have seen it coming. The script played out true to form; Managers who started “KW9” all season watched as he labored to just 51 yards on the ground, while the team kept putting the biscuit in the basket of Charbonnet, who rumbled to 110 yards (6.1 YPC) with a pair of trips into the promised land for six. Each back caught two passes in the affair.
When the smoke cleared, the potential No. 1 seed Seahawks (@SF 1/3) had flipped a 3-3 halftime score into a runaway 27-10 victory over the home Panthers. Carolina will also play on the road next Saturday, against Tampa Bay, with the division and playoffs on the line.
The Seahawks’ defense proved formidable again. They held Bryce Young and Co. to just 139 total yards, with Charbonnet alone out-rushing the whole of Carolina’s backfield. Also lost in the shuffle was Offensive Rookie of the Year incumbent Tetairoa McMillan, who managed just a single catch for five yards on four targets. On the other side, Sam Darnold finished a pedestrian 18-27 for 149 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Runaway Offensive Player of the Year candidate Jaxon Smith-Njigba had nine catches—none in the painted area.
While many fantasy football managers are left with regrets and “what ifs,” football purists will tell you that “defense wins championships.”
Author: Samwise (@BuyAndSellYou)
