Most fans expect a running back to fade after a few games. Kenneth Walker III is doing the exact opposite. He has become the first player since 2002 to record over 750 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in his first five games. That year, it was Chiefs legend Priest Holmes who set that bar. Walker has now cleared it with room to spare.
The numbers from his last game against the Chargers are wild. He gained 53 yards and scored two touchdowns on just six carries against defenses that stacked the box with eight or more players. That kind of production against heavy pressure is what changes how a team wins.
The Return of a Local Favorite
Walker is not just a star for Kansas City right now. He is returning to face his old team, the Seattle Seahawks. He won Super Bowl MVP honors with Seattle back in February before leaving in free agency. Now he comes back to Lumen Field as the league’s leading rusher. The Seahawks know his tendencies better than anyone because they defended him for four years in practice. But that history might not help them stop him this time.
In every single matchup this season so far, Walker has run for over 70 yards. Four out of his five games have seen him find the end zone. The Chiefs have relied on him because he is playing as well as anyone in the NFL. If the Seahawks cannot contain him, they will struggle to keep the game close. Opposing backs have been held to just 96 yards per game by the defense, a top-10 mark, yet Walker is not an average back.
Can He Keep This Up?
People keep asking if this pace can last all year. It is a fair question given the physical toll of the position. But the writer at Sports Illustrated suggests we stop asking “Can he keep doing this?” and start asking, “What if this is just who he is?” The stats support the idea that he is evolving into a true superstar. He has a 40% forced missed tackle rate, which is the best in the NFL by a wide margin.
There is also good news for the Seahawks side of the equation. Running back Zach Charbonnet might return from a torn ACL sooner than expected. A coach noted that “Zach is going to have a full week’s worth of reps, so that’s exciting. There is a possibility that you can see him on Sunday in some capacity, so that is exciting.” This adds depth to an offense that has struggled with turnovers this season.
The Stakes on Sunday Night
The game kicks off at 5:20 p.m. PT on Sunday at Lumen Field. The Chiefs enter undefeated, while the Seahawks look to snap a two-game losing streak. The matchup features the number one offense against a top-tier defense. If the Seahawks can stifle Walker, they have a real chance to win. If they turn the ball over again, it could be a long night. The team has already committed 12 giveaways this year, which is tied for third most in the league.
Three of their first five games have seen Kansas City allow 10 points or fewer.