Fantasy Football Week 8 Start 'Em Sit 'Em: Zach Charbonnet or Emanuel Wilson?

The Seahawks are playing with a new-look offense in Week 8. That is because Zach Charbonnet is prepared to make his season debut after a lengthy ACL recovery. The backfield will operate mostly between Charbonnet and Emanuel Wilson. But it is volatile. That is where I come in. The following factors determine which running back is the best option in fantasy football.

The Case of Zach Charbonnet

Charbonnet is expected to make his season debut on Monday Night Football. This follows a nine-month absence since he tore his ACL in last year's playoffs. Fans are already confident Charbonnet is the RB1, but let's do our due diligence.

Charbonnet returned to practice in early October, so this is no rushed return. ACL recovery timelines also vary based on a range of factors, but nine months is definitely realistic.

Heading into Friday, Charbonnet has recorded a full week of logged practice. All signs point to a very healthy Charbonnet. The question will now remain: how good might he look? Only the game can tell us, but let's check how he performed in 2025.

The Seahawks offense was run by Klint Kubiak, who is no longer there. But the staff is mostly the same, and neither Price nor Wilson was with the team in 2025, so they offset each other. I will focus on advanced metrics rather than rushing volume for Charbonnet.

Across 211 snaps and 184 carries, Charbonnet did not fumble the ball at all in 2025. He ranked 5th in Rushing Touchdowns, 11th in Yards After Contact per Attempt, and 3rd in PFF Rushing Grade. He was stellar and part of the decision not to re-sign Kenneth Walker III.

At a stocky six-foot-tall, 215-ish-pound, Charbonnet will surely be the goal-line back. Although I cannot guarantee that hypothesis.

Charbonnet was not heavily used in the passing game, catching 23 passes on 201 routes for 144 receiving yards, though he scored no touchdowns.

The Case of Emanuel Wilson

Wilson has become the Seahawks' leading running back since Price got hurt in Week 4. However, I will not review Wilson's season volume, as Charbonnet's return will heavily influence it. Rather, we can look at his advanced metrics.

In 2026, Wilson is averaging just 3.6 Yards per Attempt, 0.7 fewer than Price. Fans mostly dislike him as a priority skill player on their offense. Wilson has two fumbles, ranks 26th in Yards After Contact per Attempt, and ranks 42nd out of 44 qualified running backs in PFF Rushing Grade.

His pass-game usage has been quite low: 8 receptions, 65 yards, and 1 touchdown. Fantasy managers cannot rely on his pass-catching usage, as Wilson has only one red-zone target this season, and even if he were the starter, he would be unlikely to score three or more receiving touchdowns in a 17-game season.

Start 'Em Sit 'Em: Zach Charbonnet vs. Emanuel Wilson

We must consider whether Price can play on Monday Night. He is questionable and is being limited in practice. That makes this decision increasingly difficult; with a three-man attack, I am not sure you can start either ball carrier in Week 8, especially with a Monday Night game.

I feel quite confident that Charbonnet will play a lot this Monday. However, there is still risk there. If Charbonnet came out and was running light on his toes after not playing for nine months, would that surprise us?

If you're using any Seahawks running back in fantasy football, it's Charbonnet. He is proven, and he is the best player there. He's also been anticipated to play all week, and the game plan clearly factors him into the offense more than it prioritizes a recovering Price.

The money-maker will be whether Charbonnet can find the end zone. The Seahawks host the Bears, who rank 19th in EPA per Rush Allowed, a rather average matchup. Charbonnet scored 12 touchdowns in 2025, and you can bet Mike MacDonald promoted Brian Fluery to keep that train going.

Cautiously start Zach Charbonnet in Week 8 as a low-end RB2 in fantasy football.

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