Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III Playing Above Pay Grade?

Running back Kenneth Walker provides strong value for the Seattle Seahawks, despite his slow start to the season.

Oct 10, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (2) tackles Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Trying to find good players at solid value can prove very difficult, but luckily for the Seattle Seahawks, they have one player who definitely fits the bill, ironically at a position where value has been harder to come by.

Third-year running back Kenneth Walker III, an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist in 2022, has consistently played a large role in the offense over his tenure in Seattle when healthy. For a cap hit of just $2.3 million as a former second-round pick, per Over The Cap, Walker is a fantastic value for Seattle. He is still on his rookie deal through the 2025 season.

Such a good value, in fact, that Walker landed on Pro Football Focus' list of 10 players that are playing "above their pay grade" this season.

"Even as the Seahawks have come back down to Earth in the last three weeks, Walker has remained a major bright spot," PFF's Bradley Locker wrote. "The former second-round pick leads the NFL with a 90.5 rushing grade and is averaging 3.04 yards after contact per attempt, up from his 2.91 in that category a season ago.

"The entire running back position has been devalued immensely, but Walker is a player worth paying — and much better than a 32nd-place ranking in AAV. He’s never recorded a PFF rushing grade below 84.4 in a season, plus he has forced a combined 126 missed tackles in the last three years, good for fifth among backs in that span."

Walker missed two games earlier this season due to an oblique injury after rushing for over 100 yards in the season opener against Denver, but returned with a bang with 116 total yards and three rushing touchdowns against the Detroit Lions in Week 4. In the two games since, though, he's rushed for just 51 yards and one touchdown while adding 94 yards as a receiver, hampered by poor offensive line play and Seattle's general lack of interest running the football at times.

Apparently, Walker's underlying value during the Seahawks' rough stretch remains solid and with his team looking to snap a current three-game losing skid, it should be only a matter of time before he has another big performance while playing on a bargain rookie contract.