The Seattle Seahawks have split the carries pretty evenly this season between running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet.
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But on Monday, head coach Mike Macdonald hinted that Walker might get a larger share of the workload moving forward.
“I think Ken’s showing that he’s earning more opportunities to get the ball,” Macdonald said during his weekly day-after-game media session.
Through 10 games, Walker has clearly been the more productive and explosive back.
Walker has rushed for 606 yards on 136 carries for an average of 4.5 yards per attempt. He’s showcased his speed and elusiveness with 19 runs of 10-plus yards. And in the receiving game, he’s added 15 catches for 127 yards.
Charbonnet, meanwhile, has rushed for 350 yards on 105 carries for a 3.3-yard average. He has just four runs of 10-plus yards. And as a pass catcher, he has 10 receptions for 67 yards.
Walker was again the better back on Sunday, accounting for 111 yards from scrimmage in Seattle’s 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He ran for 67 yards and a TD on 16 carries, while adding three catches for 44 yards.
Charbonnet had just 37 yards on 11 carries against the Rams, along with two catches for 10 yards. Third-string back George Holani also had two carries for 6 yards.
“All three of our backs are doing a great job,” Macdonald said. “And I think (we) really felt Ken (on Sunday). And just even in the pass game too on checkdowns and finding him late in the play, it just shows you that he’s such an explosive player with the ball in his hands.
“And he knows there’s things that he needs to clean up in his game too. And he’s done a great job in practice doing that, and we’ll continue to do that. But I think Ken’s showing that he deserves some more opportunities.”
One potential benefit of the Walker-Charbonnet timeshare this season is the impact it’s had on keeping Walker fresh and healthy.
A 2022 second-round draft pick, Walker missed a combined 10 games due to injuries over his first three seasons – including six games last year. He also missed time during training camp this summer while dealing with a foot issue.
But this fall, Walker has been available every game.
“To my knowledge, Ken is as good as you can feel going into Week 12,” Macdonald said. “I think he’s pretty clean and healthy.”
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