The Seattle Seahawks' running back depth chart battle was one of the more intriguing ones of the summer, especially in a fantasy football context but also in what it meant for an offense with a new QB in Sam Darnold.
Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers was the first real chance to see how Seattle would use Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.
The outcome was a tad surprising.
Charbonnet out-snapped and out-produced Walker, although Walker had more touches, barely.
"Kenneth Walker III earned the start, but Zach Charbonnet got most of the work," writes ESPN's Brady Henderson. "Charbonnet out-snapped Walker 29-20 and finished with 47 yards on 12 touches, scoring Seattle's only touchdown. Walker had 13 touches for 24 yards."
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Walker has always been considered an immense talent, but his inability to stay healthy the last few seasons hasn't helped Seattle. It's also possible his body simply isn't quite as strong as it once was after all the injuries.
Charbonnet is younger and likely has a longer future to go with the Seahawks.
Seattle won't win a lot of games with Walker averaging less than two yards per touch. And they didn't win Sunday.
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Does that mean Charbonnet will get more work? Or will the Seahawks try to let Walker play his way out of a slump?
That is all much less certain.
But it at least looks like Charbonnet is going to play a major role, which isn't what everyone thought heading into the season.
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