As the Seahawks prepare to face former teammate Kenneth Walker III, they may be getting some help with their own running game.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet may play for the first time this season Sunday when Seattle hosts the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. He participated in a full practice Wednesday and was placed on the active roster Thursday.
His return couldn't come at a better time for the Seahawks, who are coming off a 17-14 loss to the Denver
Broncos last Thursday night. It was the third loss this season for the defending Super Bowl champions.
The Seahawks' run game has struggled for much of the season and they could use Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in January and spent the first six games of the season on the physically unable to perform list.
"There is a possibility that you can see him on Sunday in some capacity," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said this week.
Seattle is ranked 18th in the league with an average of 107.2 total yards on the ground this season. They have five rushing touchdowns. Rookie Jadarian Price, who was expected to help, is out with a chest/shoulder injury.
Charbonnet rushed for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Seahawks last season before he was injured.
Of course, one of the reasons why Seattle's run game has dipped this season is the loss of Walker, their Super Bowl MVP who went to the Chiefs as a free agent in the offseason.
"But I think there’s mixed emotions. We’re happy for him, but also, we’re trying to figure out ways to stop this guy, too," Macdonald said.
Walker rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns in Kansas City's 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. It was the fourth game he's topped 100 yards rushing this season. Walker is averaging a league-leading 133 yards rushing per game and has scored a combined eight touchdowns so far.
Walker became the Seahawks' top back after Charbonnet was injured, and ran for 135 yards in the Super Bowl against the Patriots to earn MVP honors.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid expects Walker to treat his return to Seattle as he does every game.
“I think the boys there will try to get after him a little bit. But he’s a pretty level-headed guy. The way he plays, you’re going to get a good rep when he gets the ball in his hands,” Reid said. "He kind of has one speed: He’s coming at you. It doesn’t matter who he’s playing or where he’s playing.”
The Seahawks' run defense is allowing an average of 96 yards a game, with four total rushing touchdowns. Seattle has not allowed a rusher to go 100 or more yards in 35 straight games, the league's longest current streak.
Kansas City (5-0) at Seattle (3-3)
When/where to watch: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT, NBC.
Latest odds: Seattle by 2 1/2 points.
Against the spread: Chiefs 3-2, Seahawks 2-4.
Last week: The Chiefs beat the Los Angeles Chargers 22-6, the Seahawks fell to the Denver Broncos 17-14.
Last meeting: Kansas City won 24-10 on Dec. 24, 2022, at Arrowhead.
Series record: Kansas City leads 34-19.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes against the Seahawks' pass defense. Mahomes has thrown for 1,309 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. He's completing 66.5% of his passes. But he may be challenged by Seattle, which ranks atop the NFL allowing just 141.3 passing yards per game, and only eight total passing touchdowns. In his two career games against the Seahawks, Mahomes has thrown for 497 yards with six touchdowns.
— The victory over the Chargers was quarterback Patrick Mahomes' 100th career regular-season win.
— The Chiefs sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert four times. They were the first sacks for the defense in three games.
— TE Travis Kelce has a reception in 196 consecutive games, longest active streak in the league.
— WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba has five games with 100 or more receiving yards this season. He leads the league with 717 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and an average of 119.5 yards per game. He also leads the NFL with 17 100-yard games since 2024.
— The Chiefs lead the league with an average of 414 yards in total offense per game.
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