In a devastating blow to the Seattle Seahawks, key player Kenneth Walker III sustained a non-contact oblique injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. The lead running back appeared to injure himself on a 6-yard run midway through the quarter and clutched his left side before falling to the turf.
The Seahawks have listed Walker as doubtful to return with an oblique injury, leaving them tied with the San Francisco 49ers atop the NFC West at 6-3. Walker had been leading the team through nine games with 770 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns, building on a strong rookie campaign that produced 1,215 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns.
The severity of Walker’s injury is not immediately clear, but it is certain that his absence will be felt by the Seahawks. With Walker sidelined, rookie running back Zach Charbonnet took the bulk of Seattle’s carries and is expected to be the lead back in Walker’s absence. The Seahawks will need to rely on their depth at running back and hope that Charbonnet can step up to fill Walker’s shoes.
