Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Ken Walker III Ready to Explode in Year Three?

A home run hitter who can take the top off a defense any time he touches the ball, the Seahawks will be eager to see Ken Walker III run and catch in Ryan Grubb's offense.

Sep 17, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) breaks a tackle from Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton (1) in the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports / Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Coming off a solid, yet unspectacular second season, will a new scheme and revamped offensive line pave the way for Ken Walker III to explode in 2024?

Background

Initially kicking off his college career at Wake Forest, Walker transferred to Michigan State and erupted in his lone season with the Spartans, rushing for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns while earning 18 first-place votes in Heisman Trophy balloting. After an impressive workout at the NFL combine, the Seahawks tabbed him as their next feature back by investing a second-round pick in the explosive runner in the 2022 NFL Draft and he followed up with a historic rookie season, becoming just the second back in franchise history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in his first year. Playing behind a struggling offensive line, he wasn't quite as productive in 2023, as his yards per carry dropped to 4.1 and he rushed for just 905 yards. But he finished in the top five among backs with 56 missed tackles forced, per Pro Football Focus, along with eight rushing touchdowns and 29 receptions.

Scheme Fit

A dynamic runner in space who can make defenders look silly, Walker has found success both in zone and gap schemes, though zone has been his bread and butter iin his time with the Seahawks. Ranking fifth in elusive rating (88.0) and missed tackles forced (56) according to PFF charting, he's capable of leaving tacklers empty handed in his wake with jukes and cutbacks as well as powering through arm tackles. While he has been reliable as a receiver, he hasn't been as efficient as an every down back, posting poor pass protection grades in each of his first two seasons.

Best Case Scenario

Staying healthy and benefiting from improved offensive line play in a high-octane scheme, Walker finishes in the top five in rushing yards and touchdowns while also adding 40 receptions out of the backfield, elevating his all-around play to All-Pro level as a catalyst for one of the most explosive offensive attacks in the NFL.

Worst Case Scenario

Though Walker remains Seattle's starter and leads the team in rushing for a third straight year, he doesn't bounce back with a second 1,000-yard season with his workload diminishing thanks to the presence of Zach Charbonnet, who takes on a larger role in his second season with the team employing a by-committee backfield approach.

What to Expect in 2024

Even with a dip in rushing production last year, Walker remained one of NFL's most electric runners when he actually had room to operate and his numbers were primarily a result of being victimized by lackluster blocking up front and limited overall opportunities. New offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has a history of developing quality running games, as Dillon Johnson rushed for over 1,100 yards for Washington in 2023 and the Huskies had an effective two-headed rushing attack the year prior, and Walker offers elite athletic traits that none of those backs brought to the table. In addition, he's a former high school receiver with soft hands who should see more action in that regard.

From a fantasy perspective, Walker may have a difficult time getting enough carries to rank among league leaders in rushing yardage with Charbonnet set to see plenty of snaps as a change-of-pace, physical runner and potential third down back. With that said, if the offensive line has a better bill of health overall and takes a solid step forward, getting back to the century mark should be more than doable and a breakout year remains possible, especially with a litany of weapons around him in the passing game to keep defenses honest and set up lighter boxes from opponents.