Kenneth Walker III DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (ankle) is unlikely to return to Sunday's meeting with the Minnesota Vikings. He missed the last two games because of an calf injury and wasn't a lock to play in Week 16. However, Walker was active and has played well, amassing 31 yards off eight carries and catching eight passes for 28 yards before exiting with an ankle injury. Of course, the concern is if he'll be ready to go when the Seahawks play the Bears in Week 17, assuming he doesn't return on Sunday. If Walker isn't out there, Zach Charbonnet would be on tap for more opportunities out of the backfield.UPDATE: Unsurprisingly, Walker will go for further testing on his injured ankle on Monday.

The Seattle Seahawks plan to announce Zach Charbonnet as their starting running back against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Although Kenneth Walker III is healthy and cleared to play, the first snap of the game will likely belong to Charbonnet. This represents a change in the lineup from earlier in the season, but it's not much of a surprise given how well Charbonnet has played lately. Over the last two weeks, he has 188 rushing yards, eight catches, 71 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. He has averaged 24.1 fantasy points per game (PPR) while filling in for Walker this year. Meanwhile, Walker is averaging 16.7 points per contest. Both players have RB1 upside, but we'd rather start Charbonnet this week given that Seattle may be inclined to ride the hot hand against a stingy Minnesota run defense.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (calf) has been removed from the final Week 16 injury report on Friday and will be active for Sunday's contest at Lumen Field against the visiting Minnesota Vikings. Meanwhile, backfield mate Zach Charbonnet (oblique) was also cleared, so Seattle will have its top two RBs available this weekend. It's good news for the Seahawks, but bad news for fantasy managers that have one or both of Walker and Charbonnet rostered. Walker missed the last two weeks with his calf injury, which led to Charbonnet accumulating 188 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries while adding eight catches for 71 yards. For what it's worth, Seattle has since named Charbonnet a captain, meaning that Walker could see more of a reduced role in his return this weekend. Walker has been the clear lead runner when both backs have been healthy this year, but that could change against Minnesota.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (calf) went from missing practice on Wednesday to practicing in full on Thursday, signaling he could be ready to return from a two-game absence to face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in Week 16. Meanwhile, Zach Charbonnet, who missed Wednesday with an oblique injury, was limited on Thursday. The way things are currently trending, it could be a worst-case scenario for fantasy managers that have one of or both Walker and Charbonnet rostered. Charbonnet saw 30 carries for 188 yards (6.27 yards per carry) and three touchdowns while adding eight catches for 71 yards the last two weeks with Walker sidelined. If Seattle has both Walker and Charbonnet active against Minnesota, this backfield could easily be split more in half with Walker returning, potentially lowering both RB's fantasy upside in an already bad matchup.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (calf) did not participate in practice on Wednesday. The 24-year-old has already missed two games in a row, and it now looks like there's a real chance he could miss a third. Losing Walker to an injury hurts by itself, but the Seahawks' backfield could get even more complicated if they are also without Zach Charbonnet (oblique), who didn't practice Wednesday. If Walker sits out Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, Charbonnet will remain the starter and a high-end fantasy RB2. However, if both Walker and Charbonnet end up sidelined, then Kenny McIntosh would be in line for a drastically expanded role out of the backfield. Fantasy managers should stay tuned for additional injury updates on Thursday.