Less than nine months ago, Kenneth Walker III powered the Seahawks to a Super Bowl LX victory with 161 yards from scrimmage, won Super Bowl MVP ... and then left Seattle, becoming the first Super Bowl MVP to change teams the ensuing offseason in over two decades. Walker took Seattle's entire running game with him. While he leads the NFL in rushing yards and yards per carry in Kansas City, the Seattle running game is wallowing among the league's worst.
With Zach Charbonnet missing the first six weeks of the season, Seattle has rotated through runners -- first-round rookie Jadarian Price leading the way at first before landing on IR with a chest injury, then Emanuel Wilson after Price's injury, with a sprinkling of George Holani as a change-of-pace/third-down/pass-catching option. Not only that, but all three have committed the cardinal sin: turning the ball over. Price lost fumbles in Week 2 and Week 3.
Wilson and Holani both lost fumbles in Week 5, gifting the 49ers 14 points. Holani's, with Seattle simply trying to run out the first-half clock, was particularly awful, and Mike Macdonald could hardly believe his eyes. #Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald’s reaction after Gracen Halton’s TD in the end-zone is CLASSIC! What are we doing?" 💀 pic.twitter.com/qGZ5l9UqBS The Seahawks rank last in rushing expected points added, largely due to an enormous number of fumbles.
But even excluding fumbles, Seattle ranks 27th in rushing success rate, a measure of down-to-down efficiency. Seattle's 34 runs of 0 or negative yards are tied for eighth-most. Charbonnet will help -- he has zero fumbles in his NFL career, he is a good pass catcher and protector, and he has 21 touchdowns over the past two seasons -- but to lean on him heavily would be unwise.
It's not just because of the injury, but also because he's never been a bell cow. He split backfield duties with Walker each of the last three years. His career high in touches per game is 12.8, set last year.
Furthermore, Charbonnet simply doesn't provide the explosive element Walker did. Someone who does provide an explosive element and bell cow capability is Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. He has topped 1,500 yards from scrimmage each of his last three healthy years, and last year he had 1,963, as well as 20 total touchdowns.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
