3 Seahawks players who need to step up vs 49ers after Sam Darnold injury

The Seahawks will need more players to step up following the news of Sam Darnold's injury

Dec 28, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Tre'von Moehrig (7) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) for a ten-yard loss during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This Saturday night is the beginning of the Seattle Seahawks’ playoff journey. The No. 1-seeded Seahawks will host the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round after having the first-round bye. This will be the second matchup in three weeks between the two teams.

The Seahawks have seen some injuries during the preparation for the playoffs. The first was the knee issue of star left tackle Charlie Cross that might not be a problem anymore, but now they have to start worrying about their starting quarterback. Sam Darnold is reportedly dealing with an oblique injury in his left shoulder.

While Darnold expects to play, it is likely that he will not be 100% when the game kicks off. The Seahawks remain the favorites over the 49ers, but now there are extra challenges. With Darnold being hurt, three Seahawks will need to step up more to ensure they defeat the 49ers, possibly without Darnold overusing his shoulder.

Running back Kenneth Walker and Zac Charbonnet

Both Walker and Charbonnet are going to count as one here. In the 13-3 Week 18 win over the 49ers, both players combined for 171 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries. They were the driving force of the offense that had seen off the 49ers’ defenders missing from the Week 1 game.

It was a big game for both of them, but it was the best game for them as a duo. They accumulated 230 total yards in addition to being available as pass-catchers. The Seahawks were going to have Walker and Charbonnet as the driving force of the offense again, but now there is more pressure because of Darnold’s injury.

They have been getting better at swiftly choosing which running lanes to attack at the line of scrimmage. If they keep utilizing the same good habits they’ve been developing, the Seahawks might not have to worry about Darnold so much.

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) pass rushes at the line of scrimmage against Seattle Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76) during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Left guard Grey Zabel

A point could be made that the whole offensive line needs to step up more, but it might be more critical for Zabel. He comes into his first-ever playoff game with more of a responsibility of protecting the left side of Darnold, where his injured oblique is. While he has developed into a reliable run-blocker, he still has to get better as a pass-protector. Zabel has to ensure he doesn’t let pressure come from the left side of the field and potentially hurt Darnold more.

The offensive line, as a whole, arguably had its best game of the season in the Week 18 win over the 49ers. One of the big reasons was interior linemen like Zabel going to the outside and blocking defensive backs or outside linebackers. Zabel will need to be the driving force of the offensive line on Saturday. It will help him to have Charles Cross back.

Tight end AJ Barner

If there is one Seahawks pass-catcher that fans want to see more development and big moments from, it would be tight end AJ Barner. He has only eclipsed 50 yards in a game twice, both being losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 and the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11.

He accounted for a touchdown in Week 16 against the Rams and Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers, but was rarely available as a playmaker in Week 18 against the 49ers. He caught two receptions for 14 yards in that game and one reception for no yards in the Week 1 loss to the 49ers.

Barner might need to be the closest available pass-catcher possible in case Darnold is under heavy duress and needs to protect the left shoulder. He can also be a key player on offense by getting multiple first downs and extending drives, allowing the running game to pick up more steam.

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