Seattle Seahawks DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (ankle) was limited to 31 yards on eight carries in Seattle's Week 16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He also brought in an eye-popping eight receptions for 28 yards. Walker left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. He was tackled at the goal line and got his foot caught up in a pile of defenders. Walker was just returning from a calf injury that had sidelined him for two weeks. While not much is known about the injury, Walker was ruled out for the rest of the game relatively quickly. He is slated to undergo imaging on the injured ankle this week. Fantasy managers counting on Walker for championship weekend will need to pay close attention to this injury. If it is a minor ankle sprain, then Walker has a solid matchup in Week 17 against the Chicago Bears. If it is more severe, then fantasy managers may once again be looking for a replacement. Be prepared for another Zach Charbonnet game in Week 17. However, with the Seahawks in dire need of a win, Walker could push to play on the bum ankle.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith was solid for fantasy in Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings. Smith tossed two interceptions, but he managed 314 passing yards and just his second three-touchdown game of the season. Smith also attempted 43 passes this week which was his highest total since Week 6. The volume led to fantasy fun for Smith and the various Seahawk pass catchers. The Vikings presented a great matchup for Seattle's passing game so the output is not surprising. However, the interceptions continue to be a problem for Smith. The two picks on Sunday marked his 14th and 15th of the season. It is a huge reason why the Seahawks are falling out of playoff contention. Still, Smith is a solid QB2 over the final weeks of the season. That is especially true in Week 17 when the Seahawks travel to face a Bears team that just got torched by Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant caught three of six targets for 50 yards in Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings. Fant earned six targets after earning seven in Week 15. He did a lot more with his receptions this week than he has in recent weeks. It was great to see since Fant had not exceeded 26 receiving yards since Week 7. If you made it this far in the fantasy playoffs with a rag-tag rotation of tight ends, then Fant could be on the radar in Week 17 in Chicago. Still, he is realistically a TE2 due to his lack of touchdown upside and the usual lack of yardage. Tread lightly with Fant despite the solid effort.

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.