The Seattle Seahawks will visit the Carolina Panthers in Week 17. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, specifically regarding RB Kenneth Walker III.
Is Kenneth Walker III Playing in Week 17?
Walker is not on the injury report, and barring a surprise, he is expected to play.
We’ll continue to monitor the Seahawks’ injury report leading up to kickoff for any changes. You can also visit and bookmark our Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Walker in Week 17?
On the heels of three straight finishes outside of the top-30 at the position, Kenneth Walker hits his first 40+ yard play of the season against a stingy divisional rival on a short week.
He then later scores from even further out.
Because, of course.
I’d love to hop on here and tell you to lock in Walker. Tell you that all of our dreams are set to come true at the perfect time and that your loyalty will pave the way for a fantasy championship.
It could, but that was always the case. Walker is still splitting reps with Zach Charbonnet and used less the closer Seattle gets to the end zone. This season, his average expected PPR point total is a tick over 10.0, and on Thursday, it was 9.6; he just happened to hit a few home runs.
I think he’s more valuable than Charbonnet, but the gap isn’t huge, and a split situation carries a wide range of outcomes from an all-or-nothing runner like this. The Panthers’ run defense has collapsed over the second half of the season, and this strong showing gives me a little hope that we see his role extended, but we’ve seen that not really be the case in the past.
Walker is a top-20 RB for me this week: I’d just caution against displaying too much confidence. The Niners are a bottom-5 defense in terms of yards allowed per carry before contact to running backs, and while I think Swift is more likely to cash in on that weakness, there’s no reason that Monangai can’t leverage it and make a red zone opportunity count in a big way.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Cheat Sheet.
Walker’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 17
Walker is projected to score 12.9 fantasy points in PPR formats.
We project Walker to rush for 54 yards and 0.5 rushing touchdowns, while adding 2 receptions for 17 receiving yards.
Check out the free PFSN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Week 17 Weather Impact: Seahawks at Panthers
The forecast for kickoff is 71 degrees Fahrenheit with 8 mph winds. These are ideal conditions for fantasy production.
