Fantasy football owners are making a bold move this week, and it might be the smartest decision they’ll make all season.
While most managers are riding the bench with their mid-round Zach Charbonnet picks, smart players are doubling down on the Seattle Seahawks backup before his value explodes. The underlying numbers suggest this trend is just getting started for the third-year running back.
Could Zach Charbonnet Be Fantasy’s Next Breakout Star?
The writing is on the wall for Kenneth Walker III’s fantasy relevance. According to PFSN’s Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, managers have traded away Walker more than any other player over the past three consecutive days, with 1,054 such transactions since Sunday alone.
This mass exodus isn’t happening by accident. Fantasy managers who dig deeper into advanced metrics are discovering what many casual players haven’t yet realized: Charbonnet might already be the better running back.
MORE: Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer
The efficiency numbers paint a compelling picture. In Week 1, Charbonnet picked up at least five yards on half of his carries, a remarkable achievement that brings his career rate to 34.5%.
That mark edges out Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor at 34.3% and outpaces Walker at 33.5%. When a backup is consistently gaining more yards per attempt than established starters, it’s usually a sign that bigger opportunities are coming.
Zach Charbonnet powers through for the TD đź’Ş
He led the @Seahawks with 8 rushing TDs in 2024
Watch live local games on #NFLPlus
Blackout restrictions may applypic.twitter.com/MgDMfeY1T3— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) September 7, 2025
The most telling statistic involves what happens after first contact. Among the 46 running backs with 200 or more carries since Charbonnet entered the league, he ranks 11th in percentage of carries that exceed league average for yards gained after first contact at 68.2%.
This metric measures a runner’s ability to break tackles and extend plays, qualities that separate elite backs from the pack. Charbonnet’s 68.2% rate puts him ahead of highly regarded players like Bijan Robinson and Josh Jacobs.
Fantasy Managers Abandoning Kenneth Walker III
Walker’s struggles in this area are becoming impossible to ignore. His 26th ranking among that same group of 46 backs places him behind players like Rhamondre Stevenson and Alexander Mattison — hardly the company a supposed RB1 should keep. The gap between Walker and his backup continues to shrink with each passing week.
Seattle’s coaching staff has noticed these efficiency differences. While Walker maintains the starting role for now, Charbonnet’s snap count has steadily increased since his rookie season.
The third-year back out of UCLA brings a different skill set to the backfield, combining patience behind the line with explosive acceleration through gaps. His 5’11”, 214-pound frame provides enough size to handle goal-line work while maintaining the speed to break away from defenders in the open field.
The fantasy football community’s shift toward Charbonnet represents more than just a trending pickup. It reflects a growing understanding that opportunity often follows performance, especially when the performance gap becomes as pronounced as it has in Seattle.
Smart managers are positioning themselves ahead of what could be a significant backfield change, either through injury or coaching decision. Charbonnet’s path to fantasy relevance doesn’t require Walker to get hurt. If the efficiency trends continue, Seattle may naturally begin featuring their more productive runner in key situations.
The Seahawks have never been afraid to make difficult roster decisions when performance dictates change, and these numbers suggest that moment may be approaching faster than most people realize.
