Divisional Round Fantasy Football DFS Debate: Kenneth Walker vs. Zach Charbonnet

Here’s a Divisional Round DFS breakdown of the Seahawks backfield debate between Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, two similarly priced runners with contrasting upside profiles.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs is just a few days away, and fantasy owners have to get their lineups set. While there are some fantasy football playoff leagues still running, most fantasy owners are participating in DFS tournaments, so we will be focusing on them. 

One tough decision that fantasy owners find themselves having to make is between two running backs on the same team. Seattle Seahawks running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet are tough to predict from week to week, and are only separated by $200 on DraftKings, with Walker priced at $5,500 and Charbonnet priced at $5,300. This makes this duo an essential toss-up when it comes to cost and value. So, which one should you start in a strong matchup against the San Francisco 49ers this weekend?

RB Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi's Stadium. | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

The Case For Kenneth Walker III

Walker is the head of this committee, even if it's by just a small margin. He is the favorite to see more opportunities; however, the touches are generally very close between these two backs. The biggest case to make for Walker is the fact that he's a much more dynamic running back, and is far more likely to break a big play. His upside is much higher because he is more capable of piling up a ton of yards. You will also get more PPR value out of Walker. Charbonnet hasn't seen a single target since Week 16. 

In 2026, Walker rushed 221 times for 1,027 yards and caught 31 of 36 targets for 282 yards this season, while Charbonnet carried the ball 184 times for 730 yards, and caught 20 of 24 targets for 144 yards. The volume and the yardage totals are both in the favor of Walker.

RB Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi's Stadium. | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

The Case For Zach Charbonnet

You may have noticed one stat missing above, and that's the touchdowns. The reason you would play Charbonnet is the touchdown upside. Charbonnet has rushed for 12 touchdowns this season, including five touchdowns in his past six games. Walker has rushed for just five touchdowns, and while he has scored three touchdowns in his past three games, he's also scored three touchdowns in his past nine games. 

The volume also hasn't been far off at all. Looking back on the past three games, Walker has totaled 44 touches, while Charbonnet has seen 41, with Charbonnet seeing one more touch in one of those games. We don't expect him to face much of a deficit this week in the volume department. Also, when these same teams just played in Week 18, Charbonnet rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Walker rushed 10 times for 20 yards and caught three passes for just four yards. 

The Verdict: Kenneth Walker or Zach Charbonnet

This depends on the format of your contest. If you are in a GPP tournament and need a ton of upside, then Walker is your guy. He is the back far more likely to break off a 50-plus yard touchdown run, and gets more work in the passing attack. However, if you need to go with a safer option, Charbonnet is far more likely to fall into the end zone with a goal-line carry. This is as close to a toss up as you can get from two running backs in the same backfield. We give the slight edge to Walker.