Kenneth Walker barely a top-half RB in the NFL, former Pro Bowler claims

It's fascinating to see how the perception of Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III has changed over the past few years.

After Walker's outstanding rookie season in 2022, in which he rushed for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns to finish second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, he was seen as one of the NFL's rising stars at the running back position.

After his production declined in each of the following two years, culminating in him rushing for 573 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games last season, he's now seemingly glossed over by most media figureheads.

In the latest example of this trend, three-time Pro Bowl running back and current NFL.com analyst Maurice Jones Drew ranked Walker as the 16th best running back in the league. In other words, he ranked Walker as perfectly average among NFL starters.

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) during warmups before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

"Since posting 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie in 2022, Walker has been unable to get back to the mark," Jones-Drew wrote. "He dealt with injuries over the last two seasons but enters 2025 healthy and with a new offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak, who is prioritizing the run game and implementing the kind of zone-run scheme that should maximize the back's skill set.

"If Walker can stay on the field, there's no reason the 24-year-old shouldn't have his best campaign to date, even if he shares the load with Zach Charbonnet."

Last season, Walker and Charbonnet were essentially the Seahawks' 1A and 1B running backs. The latter, a 2023 second-round pick from UCLA, posted a nearly identical stat line to the former with 569 yards and eight touchdowns. However, Charbonnet was more efficient as he averaged 4.2 yards per attempt to Walker's 3.7.

Granted, Walker was the No. 1 back when healthy, and that should be the case again this year. If he can stay on the field, Walker could prove himself as a top running back once again.

More Seahawks on SI stories