Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III quietly creeping towards career-best season

Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seattle Seahawks' passing offense have gotten most of the attention so far in 2025, primarily because the explosive plays are helping the team put up points fast.

But the run game is what has opened things up. Even though Seattle ranks 25th in yards per carry (4.0), it is fourth in rushing attempts (385). Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak hasn't misled anyone about his commitment to the rushing attack, regardless of the game-to-game results.

Ample opportunities on the ground, plus the design of the pass game, have led to Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III being on pace for a career-best in scrimmage yards this season.

With four games remaining, Walker has 936 total yards (762 rushing) on 191 touches. Walker's yards per touch are at 4.9, which is also the highest figure of his four-year career. He is currently on pace for 1,224 total yards, which would best his rookie season figure of 1,215 scrimmage yards (15 games played).

Sep 14, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The numbers have come quietly as the Seahawks' run game was slow to start the season. But they have at least 125 team rushing yards in four of their last five games, and haven't had less than 114 during that span.

Whereas there seemed to be a potential competition for the Seahawks' starting running back spot early in the season, Walker has retaken the mantle over Zach Charbonnet. Walker has been much more consistent after a poor 2024 campaign, where he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry (4.5 this season).

Opposing defenses are learning how to mitigate the explosive plays against the Seahawks' offense, which makes the run game that much more critical. Walker is also in a contract year and needs to keep playing well to secure a long-term deal with Seattle or another team.

A few big games over the season's final four matchups could boost him even further. And that'll make general manager John Schneider's decisions surrounding the 2022 draft class that much harder.

More Seahawks on SI stories