The biggest gut punch for the Emerald City faithful right now? Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet, coming off a solid RB24 finish last season, is highly unlikely to be available to start the season after suffering a torn ACL in the playoffs. Yeah, you read that right. Our guy is on the PUP list to open training camp, and there’s no clear timetable for his return. This isn’t just about fantasy football managers trying to nail their draft picks, it’s about the very identity of the Hawks’ ground game heading into the regular season.
Our Run Game Is Already in Recovery Mode, Y’all
Charbonnet’s injury is a monumental hit, especially after Kenneth Walker III departed in free agency, leaving a huge void in the backfield. We all expected Charbonnet to step up and own that backfield, building on his strong RB24 performance from last year. Now? Head Coach Mike Macdonald’s message, as told to John Boyle of the team’s official website, feels more like cautious optimism than a green light: “He’s doing a great job. I know he has high expectations for himself, and we’re looking forward to seeing where it ends up.” That’s coach-speak for “we don’t know when he’ll be back,” and frankly, it’s a tough pill to swallow for anyone hoping for a powerful, consistent run game early on.
Remember, his surgery was late February. That’s a super tight turnaround, even for a pro athlete. With an average draft position (ADP) of 114, he’s a late-round flier for sure, but a serious risk given the crushing uncertainty. And let’s not forget the Hawks used a first-round pick on Jadarian Price. That’s a massive investment that points to the team knowing they needed more firepower. Along with Woody Marks and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who have comparable ADPs, the competition and the need for immediate production are intense. The question is, who steps up big for the 12s while Charbonnet is recovering? The pressure on our new blood to deliver is immense, big time.
The League’s Other Headaches (But Not Ours, Thankfully)
While we’re sweating Charbonnet’s situation here in the PNW, at least we aren’t dealing with a bunch of holdouts. Most of the league’s top offensive players angling for new deals, like Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson, got them done. Even Puka Nacua, eligible for an extension, completely shut down any holdout talk early, flat out saying he “never crossed my mind that I don’t want to be out here with these guys.” Baker Mayfield’s trying to earn a new deal, sure, but he’s playing. The only real drama is down in Tampa Bay, where defensive tackle Vita Vea is holding-in after a trade request. But let’s be real, as an interior D-lineman, his IDP value is super low, like, rank 269 low. Not exactly setting the league on fire or impacting many real lineups.
Injuries are hitting other teams hard too, but with different impacts. New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers, who also had a torn ACL, still has a surprisingly high draft rank of 28. Christian McCaffrey, out with “tightness,” is somehow still ranked 10! Our guy Charbonnet’s late surgery date and the complete lack of a defined timeline put him in a much tougher, more concerning spot right now than these other big names.
So, as the regular season looms, the biggest question for our beloved Seahawks isn’t just who replaces Charbonnet’s snaps, but how Mike Macdonald and Brian Fleury scheme around this massive hole in the run game. We need to see an immediate impact from whoever steps into that backfield. The season is still early, but establishing a reliable ground attack without Charbonnet is absolutely critical for setting the tone for the entire year. Keep your eyes peeled, Seattle, because the early weeks of the season are going to tell us a whole lot about the resilience and adaptability of this team without one of our key playmakers.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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