Tag: Kenneth Walker III

Gimme Him: Kenneth Walker would give Patriots two-headed RB monster

Kenneth Walker III in Alex Van Pelt’s offense would be fun

The New England Patriots are set to take on the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, and the Seahawks have multiple offensive playmakers.

Running back Kenneth Walker III is one playmaker in particular who intrigues Patriots coach Jerod Mayo. Walker has been a key component of the Seahawks offense, and he is this week’s “Gimme Him” player.

Walker had a monster game last Sunday against the Denver Broncos. He carried the ball 20 times for 103 yards and a touchdown. He did so efficiently as well, averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

For his career, he has 467 carries for 2,058 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Michigan State product was a valuable piece of the offense for the Spartans, and that talent has clearly translated to the NFL.

Walker would be the perfect fit for the Patriots for several reasons. For one, he can complement Rhamondre Stevenson well. The Patriots have employed a run-first offense to start the year. Walker would be able to give Stevenson breaks when necessary without any drop-off in production.

Secondly, he is a workhorse. He has tallied over 200 carries in each of his first two seasons in the league. With this type of offense, the Patriots would be able to utilize both the durability and workload at a high level. This could come in handy especially later in the season, when fatigue sets in.

“I don’t know what his Madden rating is but …. this guy pops off the film,” said Mayo, via the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan.

https://twitter.com/_AndrewCallahan/status/1833889898190754270

This is all in fun and entertaining to think about.

Walker would be the perfect fit for an offensive system that is built with a more old-school approach, such as the one in New England.

He would give the team a legitimate second running back threat and allow them to operate their offensive scheme at a higher level. With that said, the reality remains that he is going to be a major weapon that the Patriots’ defense will need to stop on Sunday.

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Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald gives injury update on Uchenna Nwosu, Kenneth Walker

Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald gives injury update on Uchenna Nwosu, Kenneth Walker

The Seattle Seahawks are well under way for their Week 2 preparations. Fresh off their 26-20 opening weekend victory, Seattle is gearing up for their first road trip of the year. The Seahawks will head to New England to play the Patriots. Unfortunately, not everyone will be available for the game.

Head coach Mike Macdonald gave an updage regarding Seattle’s top pass rusher, Uchenna Nwosu. It appears Nwosu is going to miss another game. As for running back Kenneth Walker III and right tackle George Fant, they appear to be day-to-day.

Uchenna Nwosu has been sidelined with a sprained MCL since the Seahawks’ preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns. Seattle won the exhibition game 37-33, but a chop block to Nwosu led to an injury that will keep him out for a few weeks. Although it was an encouraging sign the Seahawks did not place Nwosu on injured reserve, it seems we will have to wait at least one more week to see him in action for the first time this season.

The good news is Seattle’s defensive front looks strong and deep already. Denver may not have the most dynamic offense in the league, but neither do the Patriots. The Seahawks were able to make life miserable for the Broncos up front, and should be able to do so again for Week 2.

The absense of Walker and Fant, on the other hand, could be much more of an impact. Seattle’s offense looked as disjointed as ever in the first half. They did not get things rolling until they started to feed Walker the ball to start the third quarter. Seattle will need Walker, as well as Fant, if they want to avoid the road upset in Foxboro.

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Seahawks engineer 2nd half comeback, dominate Broncos for a 26-20 win

Seahawks engineer 2nd half comeback, dominate Broncos for a 26-20 win

Week 1 is in the books and the Seattle Seahawks begin the 2024 NFL season with a 1-0 record. Of course, it was hardly easy getting to this point. Offensively, the Seahawks looked as lost as I can ever remember seeing them. The first two plays were a sack then an interception, followed by two more possessions with punts. They had only mustered nine total points, which came from a field goal and a 34-yard Geno Smith touchdown run.

They had scored nine points, but directly handed the Broncos seven. Not only did the first interception lead to a field goal, but the Seahawks surrendered four additional points on two safeties. Seattle limped into the locker room down 13-9, only in the game thanks to the stellar play of their defense.

Well, whatever halftime adjustements they made certainly paid off. It was a tale of two halves at Lumen Field. The Seahawks came out of the gates swinging, scoring a touchdown on their first possession of the second half behind the legs of running back Kenneth Walker III. The drive gave Seattle a 16-13 lead – a lead they would not relinquish.

On Denver’s following possession, Denver’s running back Jaleel McLaughlin coughed up a fumble which was immediately recovered by Seattle. The Seahawks turned that turnover into another three points. After forcing the Broncos to punt again, Geno Smith found running back Zach Charbonnet for a 30-yard touchdown  to start the fourth quarter.

Of course, the Broncos would not go quietly into the good night. After a drive that ended in Nix throwing a second interception of the night to Seattle’s Riq Woolen, the former Oregon Duck led Denver on a seven-play, 54-yard touchdown drive, capped off by Nix himself scrambling into the end zone. Denver had made it a 26-20 game.

But the Broncos defense could not get one final stop. Geno Smith found Tyler Lockett on third down to move the sticks and run the clock out. For the second time in the last three seasons, the Seahawks have defeated the Denver Broncos in Week 1.

Interestingly enough, the last time the Seahawks hosted the Broncos for a regular season, non-primetime game was in 2014… and Seattle won that one 26-20 as well.

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Fantasy football: Where to draft Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III

Analyzing Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III’s 2024 fantasy football ADP and where to target him in fantasy drafts.

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Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III has been a true workhorse since being selected in the 2nd round of the 2022 NFL Draft from Michigan State with over 200 carries in each of his 2 seasons. There is concern because his yard per carry dipped from his 1st season to year 2 and that there will be a new offense scheme installed in Seattle this season. Below, we look at Kenneth Walker III’s 2024 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

Walker’s role in 2024 could change with new Seattle coach Mike Macdonald and rookie OC Ryan Grubb, whose past college offenses were big on passing. The former Washington Huskies OC has indicated a more balanced approach with the Seahawks, so Walker could get more chances to run. Even with this potential uptick, keep in mind Walker has a 41.8% chance of injury, so staying healthy will be key. With new faces on the offensive line and a fresh playbook, Walker could be a solid pick if things break his way.

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Kenneth Walker III’s ADP: 31.10

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

Walker’s 31.10 ADP puts him in the range of the 2nd to 4th round depending on the size of the league. He has the best ADP on the Seattle Seahawks.

Among RBs, Walkers’s ADP puts him 13th at the position, behind Kansas City’s Isiah Pacheco (22.27), Miami’s De’Von Achane (28.13) and Tampa Bay’s Rachaad White (29.91) and ahead of Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs (33.61) and New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara (34.48).

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Kenneth Walker III’s 2023-24 stats

Games: 15

Carries | rushing yards: 219 | 905

Rushing touchdowns: 8

Receptions | receiving yards: 29 | 259

Receiving touchdowns: 1

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Where should you draft Walker?

Walker is being drafted as RB17 (No. 44 overall) in PPR leagues, which makes him a solid RB2 option. Last season, Walker had 219 carries for 905 yards and 8 TDs. While he averaged 4.1 yards per carry, he really shined on 2nd downs with an average of 4.7 YPC.

The Seahawks’ run game wasn’t great last year, ranking 27th in rushing yards and 31st in rush attempts per game. With Grubb now calling the plays as the offensive coordinator, we might see some changes. Grubb’s been known for boosting passing games, but it’s hard to imagine the Seahawks running game getting much more work than it did last season.

Walker will once again be sharing the backfield with rookie RB Zach Charbonnet, who had a decent rookie year with 108 carries for 462 yards and 1 TD. Even with Charbonnet around, Walker should get a good share of the workload. Keep an eye on the Seahawks’ Week 10 bye week—it might be a key time for any adjustments.

Walker’s current draft spot makes it tough for him to outshine his ADP, but he’s a reliable RB2 pick. With playmakers like WR Tyler Lockett, WR DK Metcalf, and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba around, Walker’s role as a consistent mid-range RB2 should continue into 2024.

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Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III in store for a big game vs Broncos

ISeahawks RB Kenneth Walker III in store for a big game vs Broncos

This is officially the last weekend without NFL football until February! We are officially on the countdown to the Seattle Seahawks kicking off the 2024 NFL season with a home showdown against the Denver Broncos. Not only will be the first regular season game in the Mike Macdonald era, but it will also serve as the debut for offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb at the professional level.

There is a lot of (understandable) hype surrounding Grubb and his explosive system. For the last two years at the University of Washington, his Husky offense was the best in the country. Now, his innovative schemes are coming to the NFL. While many are most excited to see what Grubb can do with the passing attack and his embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position, let us not forget the weapon he has on the ground wearing the No. 9 jersey.

Running back Kenneth Walker II is a dyamic athlete who is a threat to take the ball to the house any time he touches it. Despite being one of the better backs in the new Madden game, it could be argued Walker is perhaps a tad overlooked at the national level. One way to raise his national profile would be a dominant performance in Week 1… and it seems he may have a unique opportunity to do so.

The Broncos had an abysmal defense last year, and how they defend the run might be a disastrous matchup for them against the likes of Kenneth Walker.

https://twitter.com/PFF_Seahawks/status/1829554832195096659

Seattle could field one of the better offenses in the NFL this year under Grubb, but it is not going to matter if they cannot run the ball consistently. Last year, Shane Waldron failed to establish any semblance of an identity in any phase of the game as offensive coordinator, which led to remarkable regression for a unit that was the life of the team in 2022.

If the Seahawks want to get off to a 1-0 start against Denver like they did in the aforementioned 2022 season, they are going to have to get Walker going early and often.

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Kenneth Walker III named a top ten running back in Madden NFL 25

Kenneth Walker III named a top ten running back in Madden NFL 25

Unsurprisingly to Michigan State football fans, and Seattle Seahawks fans as well, Kenneth Walker III has been named a top ten running back in Madden NFL 25.

Kenneth Walker III was named the No. 8 best running back in the game, coming in with a rating of 88 overall. Too high? Too low?

You can see the full list below:

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Breaking down the Seattle Seahawks backfield

Will a new coaching staff mean major changes?

For the first time since 2009, the Seattle Seahawks will be led by someone other than Pete Carroll, who was replaced as head coach during the offseason by Mike Macdonald after he spent the previous two years as defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Carroll was followed out the door by offensive coordinator Shane Waldron (Chicago Bears) as Macdonald tabbed University of Washington assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb to be his OC.

Grubb oversaw the Huskies’ second-ranked passing attack a season ago, and with the trio of WRs DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, he has some quality options in place on the outside. He won’t abandon the run, though, with a pair of recent second-round picks atop the depth chart in the form of RBs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Seattle rely on the run a little more after they finished 31st in the NFL in carries a season ago.

So, what do the changes in the Emerald City mean for fantasy owners?

Seahawks running back unit ranked No. 14 in NFL by PFF

Seahawks running back unit ranked No. 14 in NFL by PFF

It seems there is some split opinions on how to rank the Seattle Seahawks’ running back room. Recently, ESPN’s Mike Clay ranked the unit with a lofty No. 4 overall in the league. However, it seems as if there are those who would disagree.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Seahawks are closer to the middle of the pack than they are leading it. The 49ers, Dolphins and Lions are at the top of this food chain, whereas Seattle is considerably behind them. Their analysis goes as follows:

“Kenneth Walker is one of the NFL’s most boom-or-bust backs, having recorded a missed tackles forced average above 0.20 but also a stuff percentage (rushes for no gain or a loss) above 20% in each of the past two seasons. Despite the lower efficiency, Walker’s positive reps are so good that he has earned PFF rushing grades above 84.0 in each of the past two years. If he can stay healthy and cut down on the negatives, he can be a top-10 back and carry this group. Zach Charbonnet will slot in as RB2 after a solid rookie season in which he earned a 74.4 rushing grade.”

The issues the Seahawks ground attack has been more to do with offensive play calling/game planning, and a weak offensive line, more than it has to do with personnel. The “boom-or-bust” allegation for Walker can be better attributed to an offensive system under Shane Waldron that never really figured out a consistent identity or ability to fully utilize all the weapons at his disposal.

Ryan Grubb, the new offensive coordinator, managed to balance out his embarrassment of riches at the University of Washington last year. While the NFL game is certainly far different than college, there should be more faith in him being able to maximize what he has.

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You don’t have to ask Seahawks fans who the best running back in the NFL is right now. Ever since he was traded to the 49ers, Christian McCaffrey has been dominating Seattle in every matchup. Last week he was rewarded with a new contract worth $19 million per year, appropriately once again making him the highest-paid back in the league. Let’s see how McCaffrey compares to the rest of the running backs around the NFL. Here are the top 32 running backs in the league ranked by their average annual salary, per Over the Cap.

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Watch: Zach Charbonnet’s top 5 plays from rookie season

Watch: Zach Charbonnet’s top 5 plays from rookie season

The Seattle Seahawks turned plenty of heads during the 2023 NFL draft when they selected running back Zach Charbonnet in the second round. It was a classic Pete Carroll-style pick, and one folks critiqued on account of Seattle selecting Kenneth Walker III the year prior… also in the second round.

But Charbonnet quickly proved those who doubted the pick wrong. The UCLA standout may not have lit up the stat sheet, as he only rushed for 462 yards and one touchdown, along with 209 yards through the air. However, Charbonnet provided a crucial 1-2 punch in the backfield when paired with Walker.

With that being said, let us reminisce on the top 5 plays from Charbonnet’s rookie season. They can be seen here.

Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has plenty to work with when it comes to running backs in Seattle. With the litany of weapons at his disposal, there is no excuse for the Seahawks offense to not be one of the better units in the league for the 2024 season.

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