Kenneth Walker of the Seattle Seahawks Fantasy Football Struggles Explained

2025 Fantasy Football Outlook: Kenneth Walker of the Seattle Seahawks — The Most Traded running back in the League

Few running backs have sparked more midseason frustration than Walker III. He’s been moved in trades at a higher rate than almost any other fantasy RB, and the reason is obvious: Walker remains a classic case of expectations vs. reality.

If you drafted him in a PPR league, you had to know what you were signing up for. But even managers who expected a low-catch profile have been surprised by just how tough the ride has been.

Let’s break down the Walker experience—and why the betting markets tell a clearer story than fantasy box scores.

Walker’s PPR Problem: No Receiving Floor, No Ceiling

If you roster Walker, you’ve memorized this number by now:

11 receptions all season.

That’s not just low—it’s game-changing for his fantasy profile.

Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers can get 11 catches in one afternoon. Walker has 11 total. So in PPR formats, the math is simple:

No receiving floor
No spike weeks
Limited ceiling
Completely touchdown dependent

In non-PPR leagues, he’s perfectly fine—efficient enough, enough touches, enough yards.

In PPR, he’s RB2 territory, and a volatile one at that.

This is why every week you see Walker involved in trades. Someone always thinks the grass is greener. Someone always believes a breakout is coming. Someone always sees the name value and thinks, “Maybe I can fix this.”

The Zach Charbonnet Goal-Line Nightmare

Seattle is doing everything possible to make fantasy managers lose their minds.

Charbonnet gets all the money touches.

All of them.

Walker does the work
Walker moves the chains
Walker gets you from the 25 to the 8
Charbonnet checks in and gets the touchdown

This has happened multiple weeks in a row. The split is closer to 60/40 than anyone wanted, and the one area you hoped Walker would dominate—the goal line—belongs to Charbonnet.

Whether Seattle believes:

Charbonnet is the better pile-pusher, or
Walker needs preservation from heavy hits, or
This is just how they want the rotation to operate

…it doesn’t matter.

Charbonnet is the goal-line back.

Fantasy Verdict

Kenneth Walker → RB2 with a capped ceiling
Zach Charbonnet → Flex with TD upside
If choosing between the two? Charbonnet is often the better value for where he was drafted

Walker isn’t killing your fantasy season—but he’s not delivering the mid-RB1 breakout many expected.

**What You Can Count On**

Walker still gets:

More total touches
More early-down work
More breakaway potential
More consistent snap counts

He’s a fine RB2. He simply isn’t built for the 30-point explosion you expect from a top-tier fantasy back. Not in this offense. Not with this split. Not with this pass-game usage.

Betting Angle

This is where Walker becomes far more predictable.

Walker Props to Target

Rushing Attempts Over: Seattle still feeds him between the 20s.
Longest Rush Over: His explosive-run profile makes this a strong matchup-based play.
Under Receiving Yards: Books keep dangling 8.5–10.5 yard totals. Hammerable.
Anytime TD? Avoid.

Charbonnet is the goal-line thief. The value simply isn’t there.

Charbonnet Props

Sneaky moneymakers:

Anytime TD
First TD (Seattle often scripts him in close)
Goal-line carry props, when offered

Charbonnet is the better red-zone betting play.

Trade Value Snapshot

You’re not selling Walker for a premium, but he still has value.

Walker is a “floor” RB2, not a “league-winner.”

Package him for a WR upgrade. Use him as a stabilizer in a 2-for-1 deal. Don’t move him just to move him—manage expectations.

What About Travis Etienne of the Jacksonville Jaguars?

The discussion often loops to Etienne because he’s also one of the most traded backs in fantasy.

The difference? Etienne:

Has receiving usage
Has a locked-in role
Has a predictable workload
Offers more weekly upside

He’s a classic trade “package guy,” but his overall value is far more stable. Walker is the boom-or-bust, expectations-vs.-reality asset. Etienne is the steady accumulator heading toward 1,100+ total yards.

Final Verdict: What to Do With Kenneth Walker

Hold him. Start him. Lower your expectations.

He’s not going to sink your fantasy lineup—but he’s not going to win your week either. Walker is a stable RB2 with limited paths to elite upside, and Charbonnet isn’t going away.

You can read all about what’s going on in the National Football League at SportsGrid.com.