NFC West running back corps ranked worst to best for 2023
By Peter Panacy
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.