Starting a second straight game in place of an injured Kenneth Walker III, second-year back Zach Charbonnet had the best game of his young NFL career, and played a big role in Sunday’s 24-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Charbonnet rushed for a career-best 91 yards on 18 carries, and scored a pair of touchdowns, a 4-yard score in the first quarter, and 10-yarder in the fourth quarter to cap a 98-yard drive that put the game on ice. Charbonnet also added 16 yards on three receptions.
And Charbonnet showed his elusiveness on his way to those career-best numbers. Walker is usually thought of as Seattle’s shiftier back while Charbonnet is known for his power, he has shown the ability to make defenders miss in space, or to use a well-placed stiff arm or lowered shoulder to gain extra yardage. On Sunday, Charbonnet used his versatile skillset to force eight missed tackles on 21 touches, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Those missed tackles helped Charbonnet gain 16 rushing yards over expected, and exceeded his total of six missed tackles forced on 29 touches in his first two games combined.