Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet showed his potential as a fantasy player over the first 12 weeks of his rookie season in 2023, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and being a reliable receiver out of the backfield, with 24 catches in his first 11 games.
But entering this season, Charbonnet remains in a backup role behind Kenneth Walker III. How much fantasy football value does he possess for this upcoming season?
Zach Charbonnet’s Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
As a rookie, Charbonnet was decent in a backup role over his first five games, averaging 4.7 yards a carry and catching six passes. However, in four of those games, he was on the field for fewer than 30% of Seattle’s offensive snaps.
From Week 8 on, Charbonnet saw more time on the field, taking part in at least 50% of offensive snaps in eight of his last 11 games. The result was a mere 32.1 rushing yards per game over that final stretch. Still, he averaged over four yards per carry over this span (4.2).
Charbonnet’s biggest value may come from his pass-catching skills, which complement Walker’s volume in the ground game. For the season, Charbonnet had 33 receptions on 40 targets, a catch percentage of 82.5% that was tied for 10th-best in the NFL among players with at least 30 receptions.
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On the downside, he did not excel when put in the starting lineup for an injured Walker. In a pair of starts in Weeks 12 and 13, Charbonnet carried the ball a combined 33 times, his most in consecutive games, but averaged just 3.2 yards per carry. He did, however, remain a strong threat to catch passes, with five receptions for 50 yards over those two games.
Another issue is Charbonnet’s lack of scoring. In 141 total touches, he crossed the goal line just once. Playing behind Walker, who led the team with eight rushing touchdowns last season, didn’t provide many scoring opportunities for Charbonnet.
Is Charbonnet a Good Fantasy Pick?
Charbonnet’s solid performance as a rookie in a backup role may suggest that he could take the next step as a fantasy player in Year 2. However, his struggles when given extended playing time could lead some to suggest a backup role is his best fit.
In a three-game stretch from Weeks 11-13, Charbonnet rushed for a combined 154 yards but was similarly inefficient and scored just one touchdown.
While it’s not a given that Walker will take the bulk of the snaps this season, until Charbonnet proves he can handle an increased workload, it’s difficult to imagine the Seahawks going with some sort of 50-50 split between the two.
Charbonnet ranks 41st in Pro Football Network’s 2024 running back fantasy rankings, so it’s probably best for fantasy managers to take a wait-and-see approach with him.
That could change once we see how the Seahawks plan to approach this season. But for now, tread lightly when it comes to Charbonnet.