Seattle Seahawks lost key player Kenneth Walker III early in Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. Walker, the lead running back, sustained a non-contact oblique injury in the first quarter. He appeared to injure himself on a 6-yard run midway through the quarter, clutched his left side, and fell to the turf. The severity of Walker’s injury is not immediately clear, but it has been reported that he will be doubtful to return with an oblique injury.
This is a significant blow 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 770 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns, building on a strong rookie campaign that produced 1,215 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns. Without him, rookie running back Zach Charbonnet took the bulk of Seattle’s carries and is expected to be the lead back in Walker’s absence.
The loss of Walker could have a significant impact on Seattle’s offense as he was one of their top weapons this season. The Seahawks will need to rely on other players to step up and fill his role while he is out of action.