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The Seattle Times Seahawks fantasy football takes on Zach Charbonnet

Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from The Seattle Times Seahawks about Zach Charbonnet.

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Insight ledger

All The Seattle Times Seahawks insights about Zach Charbonnet

PositiveInjuryOct 23, 2026
Charbonnet, recovering from ACL surgery on Feb. 12 following a Jan. 17 injury in a playoff game against the 49ers, was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Chiefs despite being added to the active roster Thursday and practicing as a full participant all week. Coach Mike Macdonald stated there was no setback and that the decision to hold him out another week was part of the plan to ensure proper recovery before his season debut, with the team noting "it's going as good as we could hope it could go." Charbonnet will target a return the following week before hosting the Bears on Nov. 2.
PositiveRoleOct 22, 2026
Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury emphasized Charbonnet's value as a reliable ball carrier: 'The offensive line has a lot of faith in the fact that when we're giving Zach the ball, that he's going to not only hit the hole for where it's supposed to be, but he's going to generate extra yards by running through contact.' Fleury noted this creates 'a momentum thing' and 'shared past experience' advantage over backup options Emanuel Wilson and George Holani, who have struggled to add much to the run game.
NegativeInjuryOct 14, 2026
Zach Charbonnet will not play Thursday against Denver despite looking 'tremendous' in pre-practice drills on Wednesday and being close to ready. The Seahawks are not rushing him back; it has been only nine months since his NFC divisional playoff injury against San Francisco, with surgery occurring after the Super Bowl. The team has until mid-next week to activate Charbonnet off injured reserve before his 21-day practice window closes, or he remains on IR for the entire season.
NegativeInjuryOct 12, 2026
Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet's return to the field won't happen for at least another week as of Monday afternoon; coach Mike Macdonald stated 'As of right now, answer is no' regarding his availability for the Thursday night game against Denver, citing the need for consensus that he's ready and has sufficient exposure to play an NFL game. The 21-day practice window opened Oct. 1 and closes later next week, meaning Charbonnet must be on the active roster before Week 7 against Kansas City if he's to play this season. The short week with no on-field practice time and Denver's elevation are complicating factors.
PositiveRoleOct 12, 2026
Charbonnet is expected to return by the Kansas City game on Oct. 25 and will likely miss Thursday's Denver game. The source emphasizes his track record of ball security—he has yet to record a fumble in three NFL seasons—which is a significant advantage given Seattle's running-back fumble crisis. Last season he scored 12 touchdowns and gained 730 yards at 4.0 yards per attempt, though the source notes it may take time for him to return to that level.
PositiveDepth ChartOct 3, 2026
Returned to practice this week off the physically unable to perform list after suffering a torn ACL in Seattle's divisional playoff victory over the 49ers on Jan. 17. His return to practice designation Thursday opened a 21-day window when he can practice before he has to either be added to the 53-man roster or stay on the PUP list. Charbonnet practiced Thursday and Friday listed as limited, and coach Mike Macdonald said he "looks fantastic." However, Seattle's schedule may delay his return; the most realistic target date is Oct. 25 against the Chiefs, as the team faces the 49ers on Oct. 11 and Denver on Oct. 15 with a quick turnaround, and Charbonnet has not practiced until this week coming off an ACL injury.
PositiveDepth ChartOct 2, 2026
Designated as returning to practice Thursday from the physically unable to perform list but not yet eligible to play; because he began the season on the PUP list he must sit out the first four games and cannot play Sunday. First eligible game is Oct. 11 against the 49ers at Lumen Field. Coach Macdonald said Charbonnet has 'looked fantastic' in practice this week and lauded his recovery from ACL surgery in mid-February (injury suffered Jan. 17 in divisional-playoff win over 49ers): 'For how he's taken on this rehab and gotten himself in the shape that he's in and the strength that he has is remarkable.' Macdonald not yet ready to put a timetable on his return.
PositiveRoleOct 1, 2026
Led the Seahawks with 12 rushing touchdowns last season while gaining 730 yards on 184 carries, splitting time with Kenneth Walker III. Quarterback Sam Darnold emphasized having Charbonnet back is 'huge for us as a team' for his presence and leadership by example. The Seahawks selected rookie Jadarian Price at 32nd overall as part of their plan to replace Kenneth Walker (who left for Kansas City), with the expectation that Charbonnet would be back by midseason at the latest to bolster the running back position.
PositiveInjuryOct 1, 2026
Designated as returning to practice from the physically unable to perform list after suffering an ACL injury against the 49ers on Jan. 17 and undergoing surgery in February. Took part in practice on a limited basis, his first football activity since the injury. Can practice for 21 days before the team must elevate him to the 53-man roster or keep him on the PUP list for the season. By rule, he cannot play Sunday against the Chargers but can return as early as the Oct. 11 game against the 49ers, with a more realistic timeline of games against Denver on Oct. 15 or the Chiefs on Oct. 25.
NegativeInjurySep 29, 2026
Running back is eligible to return to practice and open a 21-day practice window before the team must either activate him or leave him on the physically unable to perform list. Macdonald said a decision is coming soon: "We're still working through that process. I'm sure we'll have an answer by sometime tomorrow, whether or not he'll start practicing this week. It's not out of the question yet, we just haven't had an update." Charbonnet has not played since suffering an ACL injury on January 17 of the prior year.
NegativeInjurySep 21, 2026
Zach Charbonnet remains on the physically unable to perform list recovering from a torn ACL suffered during last season's playoffs. Coach Macdonald said the team hopes to soon determine a more specific timeline for his return. Charbonnet would be activated for return to practice, starting a three-week window where he could practice without being on the active roster; at the end of three weeks, if not added to the active roster, he would have to stay on the PUP list for the entire season. Macdonald said maximizing practice time is a consideration to give Charbonnet the opportunity to be ready to return.
PositiveUsageSep 10, 2026
Zach Charbonnet (referred to as Price in the article) looks like a slightly shiftier clone of Kenneth Walker III, with evident burst when running lanes emerge. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry in his debut. However, his usage was inconsistent—he carried for an 8-yard gain at the 8:25 mark of the second quarter but didn't touch the ball again until 11 minutes remained in the third quarter, suggesting he could have received more touches given his playmaking ability. He played 24 of 50 offensive snaps, with George Holani getting 23 and Emanuel Wilson just three; the limited snap count may have been due to missing preseason action and a hip injury. Coach Mike Macdonald praised his performance, saying he "ran the ball really well" and "had a really good start," noting he took care of the football and made decisive cuts despite no preseason reps.