Seattle Seahawks suffered a significant setback in Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams with the loss of key player Kenneth Walker III. Sustaining a non-contact oblique injury in the first quarter, Walker, who was the lead running back, clutched his left side and fell to the turf after a 6-yard run midway through the quarter. The Seahawks have listed him as doubtful to return, leaving his recovery uncertain.
This blow is particularly challenging for the Seahawks, who were tied with the San Francisco 49ers atop the NFC West at 6-3. Walker had led the team through nine games with an impressive 770 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns, building on a strong rookie campaign that produced 1,215 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns.
The severity of Walker’s injury is not immediately clear. However, in his absence, rookie running back Zach Charbonnet took on most of Seattle’s carries and is expected to be their lead back. The impact of this injury on their performance remains to be seen, but it will certainly affect their chances of winning the division title and making it to the playoffs.