NFC West running back corps ranked worst to best for 2023

Are the 49ers owners of the best running back room in the NFC West? Take a look at find out.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) / Ezra Shaw/GettyImages
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Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2: Seattle Seahawks

Projected starter: Kenneth Walker III

There's a massive gap between the Rams, Cardinals and Seahawks, and of all the teams within the NFC West, only the Hawks could legitimately keep pace with the Niners (they occupy the No. 1 spot, if you haven't figured it out by now).

That's thanks largely to second-year pro Kenneth Walker III, who amassed 1,050 rush yards and nine touchdowns on the ground his rookie season, suggesting that Seattle could return to the same kind of grind-you-down run game it once had during the heyday of running back Marshawn Lynch last decade.

Walker might not be on that trajectory. But, behind a youthful offensive line that looks promising and with veteran quarterback Geno Smith having a resurgence, the Seahawks offense is both balanced and talented enough to help ensure Walker has just as good (if not better) a 2023 campaign than last year.

Plus, the Hawks invested a second-round draft pick in UCLA's Zach Charbonnet, and he'll help ensure Walker is kept protected and rested when necessary.

Expect a notable leap from Seattle's ground game this year.