The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the NFC Championship Game without one of their most reliable offensive weapons. Running back Zach Charbonnet suffered a season-ending ACL injury during the second quarter of the win over the San Francisco 49ers - a blow that comes at the worst possible time for a team that’s relied heavily on its ground game to stay balanced and explosive.
Charbonnet was more than just a complementary piece to Kenneth Walker III. With 730 rushing yards and a team-high 12 touchdowns, he brought physicality, vision, and a nose for the end zone that made Seattle’s backfield one of the most potent one-two punches in the league.
Replacing that kind of production this late in the season? That’s no easy task.
But the Seahawks aren’t out of options. Head coach Mike Macdonald acknowledged that George Holani, currently on Injured Reserve, is firmly in the mix for a potential return.
“George is an option, yeah,” Macdonald said Monday. “We’ll see how it goes this week.
Probably hear from that over the next few days.”
Holani, an undrafted second-year back out of Boise State, hasn’t seen a ton of offensive snaps this season, but he’s flashed in limited action. He’s turned 22 carries into 73 yards and a touchdown, added a couple of catches out of the backfield, and made his biggest impact on special teams - racking up 387 yards on 16 kick returns. He’s got the kind of burst and open-field speed (4.52 40-yard dash) that could give Seattle a different look behind Walker, especially in third-down or change-of-pace situations.
The key question is health. Holani’s been sidelined since Week 12 with a hamstring injury suffered against the Titans, but with nearly two months to recover, there’s optimism he could be ready to contribute. If he’s activated, he could also help lighten the special teams load for Rashid Shaheed, keeping one of Seattle’s most dynamic weapons fresher for offense.
In the meantime, Kenneth Walker III remains the lead dog in the backfield. And with quarterback Sam Darnold still nursing an oblique injury, the Seahawks are likely to lean even more heavily on Walker’s ability to set the tone early and grind out tough yards late. He’s proven he can handle the full workload - but depth will be critical.
If Holani isn’t ready, Seattle has other options. Velus Jones Jr. and Cam Akers are both available on the practice squad.
Jones got some run after Charbonnet went down against San Francisco, logging six carries for 10 yards. He’s also shown a bit more pop earlier in the season, including a 32-yard performance on just four carries over three games.
Akers, meanwhile, joined the team in late November. While he hasn’t carried the ball yet this year, he did return a pair of kicks in Week 17, showing he’s still got some juice.
At this point in the season, every roster move matters. The Seahawks are one win away from the Super Bowl, but they’ll need to find the right mix in the backfield to keep their offense humming. Walker will lead the charge, but whether it’s Holani, Jones, Akers, or some combination of the three, Seattle’s depth will be tested - and someone’s going to have to step up.