Kenneth Walker Given More Carries and More Responsibility in NFC Championship vs Rams

Before the season started, there was hope from fans of running back Kenneth Walker III that the Seattle Seahawks, under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, would turn him into a star. While the Seahawks started utilizing the goal of running the ball more, Kubiak split the responsibilities between Walker and Zach Chabronnet.

As the season progressed towards the postseason, the running game picked up in a big way. Even after Charbonnet got hurt in the 41-6 Divisional Round win on Saturday versus the San Francisco 49ers, Walker picked up the pace and became the star of the game.

Walker had one of the biggest moments in his career by rushing for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. He also had three receptions for 29 yards. He tied former league MVP in running back Shaun Alexander in the most rushing touchdowns accounted for in a Seahawks’ playoff game.

One significant reason the Seahawks wanted the run game to take off against the 49ers was the oblique injury to quarterback Sam Darnold. While it wasn’t enough of an injury to worry Darnold, it became apparent that Kubiak and the rest of the offense wanted to preserve him when he was needed the most. Darnold had 17 passing attempts and was needed on some throws to help drive the ball multiple times down the field.

The Seahawks will turn to Walker again as a key impact player as they host the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship this upcoming Sunday. The last time these two teams played was in Week 16 as the Seahawks completed a thrilling comeback down 30-14 to send the game to overtime and win it 38-37. Walker rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries while also catching three receptions for 64 yards.

Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III diving for the touchdown in the Divisional Roud win over the San Francisco 49ers. — Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) scores a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The biggest difference between Week 16 and the NFC Championship game is that the Seahawks won’t have Charbonnet, who is lost for the postseason with an ACL tear. Kubiak says that Walker deserves the opportunity to shine and continue being one of the best players in the playoffs. Kubiak also said there is more pressure on Walker as he gets more carries, as indicated by the press conference on Thursday.

“We have all the confidence in the world in Ken carrying a bigger load for us…We’re counting on him.”

He has shifted gears into being one of the most aggressive runners over the past few weeks, with the same amount of carries as earlier in the season. In the last four games, including the Divisional Round win, Walker has rushed for 364 yards and four touchdowns on 61 carries for an average of 6.0 yards per carry. He also accumulated 12 receptions for 135 yards.

Much of Walker’s production boost is due to the fact that the offensive line has played great and developed into a solid unit. One of the most impactful blockers is rookie left guard Grey Zabel, who has been seen as a driving force on outside runs and climbing to the second level of the defense.

These playoffs are an opportunity for Walker, who is set to be a free agent this offseason. The better he plays in big games and in clutch as he has in the four games, the more he is going to be worth. The Seahawks will likely take the first shot at him for an extensive long-term contract, especially if he helps the Seahawks get to the Super Bowl.

While there is pressure on Walker to be the catalyst of the Seahawks’ offense against the Rams, these are moments Walker has built himself for as a former Doak Walker Award winner.

More Seahawks on SI stories