RENTON, Wash. — If, through two games, you’re still wondering whether Ken Walker III or Zach Charbonnet is the lead running back for the Seattle Seahawks, then the team’s plan is working.

Walker has started both games this season, but Charbonnet has played more offensive snaps (64 to 43) and logged more carries (27 to 23). Charbonnet was the more productive runner in Week 1, carrying the ball 12 times for 47 yards (including a backward pass that was technically a rushing attempt), while Walker had just 20 yards on 10 attempts. In Week 2, Walker had 105 yards and a touchdown but received fewer carries (13) than his backfield mate, who had 15 rushes for just 10 yards.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said there “wasn’t a lot of space” for Charbonnet against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The third-year running back averaged minus-1.07 yards before contact on his carries, meaning he was frequently hit behind the line of scrimmage (all stats provided by TruMedia unless stated otherwise). Walker averaged 3.38 yards before contact.

Neither running back had much space to work with in Week 1, though Charbonnet managed to find a few creases. Half of Walker’s carries were stopped behind the line or for no gain. The problem Charbonnet had in Week 2 was the same one Walker encountered in Week 1.

“Why that happens? I don’t know,” Macdonald said on his radio show.

“Going into the (Steelers) game, if you would have told me that it would have worked out the way it would have, I probably wouldn’t have believed you,” Macdonald said. “It wasn’t like, ‘Hey, K9 is going to be way better against this defensive structure than Charbs.’ It doesn’t really work like that, I don’t think.”

Walker and Charbonnet have demonstrated they can excel in multiple blocking schemes, and it’s not as if the wide-zone system is better for one than the other. Seattle does appear to favor Charbonnet as a pass blocker over Walker (the previous coaching staff felt the same way); Charbonnet is more often on the field in third-and-medium and third-and-long situations.

As pass catchers, Charbonnet has run 23 routes to Walker’s 16, but the latter has four targets compared to zero for the former. Walker has gained 17 yards on those receptions but has yet to produce a first down.

The plan each week, Macdonald said, is for both running backs to have “ample opportunity” to impact the game on the ground. Even though Walker has started every game he’s played since October 2022, Seattle views the current setup as a 1A and 1B situation.

“You need multiple really good backs,” Macdonald said. “I feel like in recent history, it’s hard for it to be one bell cow all the time in all these great rushing offenses. Really, any great offense needs multiple backs. We’re fortunate to have the guys we have.”

Walker’s Week 2 performance was his first 100-yard rushing game since the 2024 season opener. He sealed the victory with a 19-yard touchdown on third-and-goal, going untouched on a toss play, thanks to his ability to accelerate and solid downfield blocking by left tackle Charles Cross and left guard Grey Zabel. It was an example of the gear Walker can hit that no one else on the team can. Although he benefited from good blocking, Walker might not have scored if he couldn’t quickly beat linebacker Payton Wilson to the edge.

Kenneth Walker finds a lane into the end zone!

SEAvsPIT on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/x1Ejbp11f3

— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025

“That was pretty fun,” Zabel said. “It’s easy to have a play like that when you have a guy like K9 behind you running the ball. Super excited for the week that he had last week, and I think it just goes to show the type of back he is and how remarkable he is, how explosive he is. Super excited to block for our running backs week in and week out.”

At the same time, that drive was an example of the type of rotation Seattle plans to have this season. The series began with 7:44 to play and the Seahawks leading 24-17. To that point, Walker has rushed for 86 yards on 12 attempts. Charbonnet had gained only 10 yards on nine carries. Yet Charbonnet was on the field for the first two plays of the drive. He was stopped for no gain on first down, then gained 1 yard on second down.

Charbonnet was also on the field for the next two plays, completions by Sam Darnold of 19 and 43 yards. Then Charbonnet was stuffed for no gain on first-and-goal from the 10. Darnold was sacked on second down after a protection breakdown. Charbonnet was on the field for that, too. Then came Walker’s touchdown.

So, despite Walker being the more productive player on a relatively light workload, Seattle still wanted to get Charbonnet going in the fourth quarter. He logged three more carries on the next series and netted a loss of 1 yard.

Macdonald said he’s pleased with how the Seahawks have rotated the two runners.

“We’re playing the long game, but we’re also trying to win games and be the most productive we can possibly be,” Macdonald said. “So, it’s a balance we’re hitting right now, and we’ve got to keep going. With both the guys, we want them to go the whole year. We need both backs to be effective, great backs for us, and I think they both are playing at a high level.

“With Zach’s game (in Week 2), I know that productivity wasn’t what he expects, but frankly, there just wasn’t a lot of opportunities for him. The opportunities were there for Ken.”

Walker might be in line for more opportunities this week against the New Orleans Saints if Charbonnet is inactive because of the foot injury that kept him from participating in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

George Holani is the only other running back on the active roster. Seattle also has seventh-round rookie Damien Martinez and undrafted rookie Jacardia Wright on the practice squad. Holani would likely take over as the “1B” if Charbonnet is unable to play, but Walker has a skill set that makes Seattle’s offense truly dynamic when the blocking is adequate, as he demonstrated Sunday.

Walker’s second carry on Sunday went for 13 yards in the first quarter. By the time Walker received the handoff from Darnold, linebacker Patrick Queen was lurking at the second level, ready to shoot a gap and make a play for a minimal gain, as he would go on to do multiple times in the game (Queen had two tackles for no gain and one tackle for loss on three Charbonnet runs). Walker quickly cut through a lane on the backside carved out by right guard Anthony Bradford, right tackle Abe Lucas and fullback Robbie Ouzts. Walker’s vision and burst, combined with good blocking from his teammates, not only avoided a potentially bad play but turned it into an explosive run.

In the fourth quarter, Walker had a 20-yard run thanks to a path cleared by Ouzts, who took out Wilson and Queen at the same time at the second level. Walker juked safety Juan Thornhill in the open field but was tripped because cornerback Jalen Ramsey pushed receiver Dareke Young into the running back’s path. It was another explosive run, but Macdonald took somewhat of a glass-half-empty outlook on it because, in his mind, that should have been six points given how elusive and explosive Walker is.

“We should expect to score a touchdown on that play,” Macdonald said. “We have to get the safety blocked, and I think Ken can make that guy miss and go score.”

It’s unclear whether Charbonnet will suit up against the Saints, but whenever he returns to the lineup, Seattle wants to see him have the same sort of success Walker had against the Steelers.

“I want both those guys to play as much as possible,” offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said. “We’ve got to keep finding ways to get them both involved. But I see two starters.”

(Photos of Kenneth Walker, left, and Zach Charbonnet: Justin K. Aller, Amanda Loman / Getty Images)