RB Kenneth Walker III - SEA (4 Viewers)

[efactor]

Anything is possible I guess but I sincerely doubt he beats out Penny. I don't care how highly graded he is, Penny has demonstrated elite ability in the NFL. Walker hasn't.

Well, Walker hasn't had a chance to demonstrate that, so yeah, he hasn't demonstrated it "yet"  You generally don't draft an RB early 2nd without having the opinion he will be a RB 1 type player.

Agree that barring injury to Penny, Penny will be the 60 in the 60/40 split for 2022.  

 

[Faust]

Analysis: Kenneth Walker Gives Seahawks Much-Needed Backfield Insurance Policy

 

[Chaka]

Well, Walker hasn't had a chance to demonstrate that, so yeah, he hasn't demonstrated it "yet"  You generally don't draft an RB early 2nd without having the opinion he will be a RB 1 type player.

Agree that barring injury to Penny, Penny will be the 60 in the 60/40 split for 2022.  

Yeah, maybe. But again we should note that the Seahawks have more draft capital and money invested in Penny this year.

 

[efactor]

Yeah, maybe. But again we should note that the Seahawks have more draft capital and money invested in Penny this year.

Penny's injury history is what obviously impacted this pick.  I was surprised they used this pick on a RB after what Penny demonstrated at the end of 2021.  They have a ton of holes on defense and thought they would fill some of those holes vs going RB.  But guess Pete needed a back up plan in case Penny doesn't make it through the season plus a cheap RB for next year.

 

[Chaka]

Penny's injury history is what obviously impacted this pick.  I was surprised they used this pick on a RB after what Penny demonstrated at the end of 2021.  They have a ton of holes on defense and thought they would fill some of those holes vs going RB.  But guess Pete needed a back up plan in case Penny doesn't make it through the season plus a cheap RB for next year.

I disagree. Teams need two capable RBs, that is the reality. The position needed to be addressed because it would be foolish for any team to go into the season without at least two backs that could carry the load. 

I think the Walker pick had far more to do with Carson than Penny.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Possible.  There is also a good chance Carson is done and Penny is relegated to backup duties and is more than injury prone to begin with.  Walker is an elite runner and the Seahawks didn't spend that kind of draft capital to have him rot on the bench.

I know Seattle loves drafting RBs but with all of their holes, I think spending a high second on the position shows how they really feel about Carson’s outlook.

 

[zamboni]

I think Carson may be done but they’re not ready yet to pull the plug on him and Carroll has a strong affinity for him. 

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Anything is possible I guess but I sincerely doubt he beats out Penny. I don't care how highly graded he is, Penny has demonstrated elite ability in the NFL. Walker hasn't.

“Elite” is a stretch - and speaking of stretch Penny’s success has been limited to a few small stretches. I’m a Penny owner and have no shot at Walker in that league so I hope he holds the job all season but let’s not turn him into something he’s not.

Penny’s draft capital isn’t all that relevant anymore - I mean look at the contract he received to come back, not a ton of money and it was only for one year. He was a late first originally and now Walker is an early second - not really a stretch to say Walker is the better prospect.

 

[Faust]

The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar believes RB Kenneth Walker is "likely" to start "multiple" games in 2022. 

Inexplicably using a second-round pick on Walker suggests the Seahawks are unsure of Chris Carson's availability after suffering a serious neck injury in 2021. "Walker should still see a ton of snaps in camp and in the preseason ... and depending on how he looks, there’s a chance he climbs up the depth chart by the start of the regular season," Dugar said. With nothing suggesting pass-catching chops during his college career, Walker would probably be an early-down banger while Rashaad Penny took passing down duties for what will certainly be a run-first Seahawks offense. None of the Seattle running backs hold much fantasy intrigue unless one of them takes over as an every-down back. 

RELATED: 

Chris Carson

, Rashaad Penny

SOURCE: The Athletic 

May 3, 2022, 8:13 AM ET

 

[Faust]

Early Impressions From Day 1 Of 2022 Seahawks Rookie Minicamp

Excerpt:

3. Running back Ken Walker III was "a rocket" on his first day.

A running back can't truly be evaluated until he puts on the pads and has to run through contact, but on his first day of minicamp, second-round pick Ken Walker III made a good early impression both with the way he moved and also how quickly he's picking up the playbook.

"Ken, he took off, he's a rocket," Carroll said. "He caught the ball really well today too, which we're really excited about. Our offense and the terminology and the concepts that we run, he has run before. He was well-prepared at Michigan State coming to us. He understood even the terminology to some extent, so that's going to really facilitate him being comfortable with the transition. So we'll expect no issues there at all, he'll be able to go. He's very bursty, very quick."

 

[Faust]

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports Seahawks' head coach Pete Carroll says to "wait and see" on whether or not Kenneth Walker will be used as the team's third down back.

It took one five second clip of Walker making a one-handed catch in rookie mini-camp for speculation to grow on his role as a pass catcher. Carroll had praise for Walker's pass-catching ability, but said he has "a ways to go" as a pass blocker, even going as far to say it's "a real challenge" for him. After being selected with the 41st overall pick by a team that wants nothing more than to establish the run, Walker was already viewed as a rookie with high-end RB2 potential in fantasy. Should he find his way into an every down role as a pass catcher this year, Walker's fantasy expectations will begin to skyrocket.

SOURCE: Pro Football Talk

May 7, 2022, 2:57 PM ET

 

[joey]

Just grabbed Walker at 1.2 in FFPC 1QB. 
choo-choo!!!!

 

[Dez]

Just grabbed Walker at 1.2 in FFPC 1QB. 
choo-choo!!!!

I did the same hope he doesn't bust because I passed on a trade offer of getting Joe Mixon for him and Gabriel Davis.

 

[ghostguy123]

I did the same hope he doesn't bust because I passed on a trade offer of getting Joe Mixon for him and Gabriel Davis.

Ur too upbeat man.  Slow down your enthusiasm

 

[zamboni]

That demonstrated pass catching ability this early is notable - that seems to have been a knock on his all around game. Pass pro, as the article above states, is going to be the bigger hurdle it seems.

 

[joey]

I did the same hope he doesn't bust because I passed on a trade offer of getting Joe Mixon for him and Gabriel Davis.

I often hope the players I draft don’t bust  

 

[Chaka]

Okay, so he caught a couple passes at a rookie mini camp and Pete Carroll is super hyped, pumped, amped and excited!

I'm shocked! Shocked I say!

 

[zamboni]

Okay, so he caught a couple passes at a rookie mini camp and Pete Carroll is super hyped, pumped, amped and excited!

I'm shocked! Shocked I say!

Better than him dropping it, I guess.

 

[TripItUp]

The biggest problem with Walker is his QB...the historical data is pretty conclusive when it comes to RBs on bad offenses.

 

[joey]

The biggest problem with Walker is his QB...the historical data is pretty conclusive when it comes to RBs on bad offenses.

Seems pretty clear to me that Seattle is going to be picking a rookie QB early in next year’s draft, so it’s only a 1 year delay.  fine with me since I’m in a rebuild.  

 

[bostonfred]

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports Seahawks' head coach Pete Carroll says to "wait and see" on whether or not Kenneth Walker will be used as the team's third down back.

This can be interpreted in a few different ways

 

[Leroy Hoard]

As old as he is, coach never runs out of words. "He's very bursty, very quick."

 

[zamboni]

The biggest problem with Walker is his QB...the historical data is pretty conclusive when it comes to RBs on bad offenses.

To be fair, we don’t know for sure that the offense will be that bad. Lock doesn’t exactly provide much optimism, but it’s also true that over the last several years, Denver hasn’t exactly had a very good track record of developing young QBs.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

To be fair, we don’t know for sure that the offense will be that bad. Lock doesn’t exactly provide much optimism, but it’s also true that over the last several years, Denver hasn’t exactly had a very good track record of developing young QBs.

Neither has Seattle, to be fair. 

 

[Buckna]

IMO, amount of touches and health determine more if a RB has a good fantasy season these days than the QB under center or the passing offense. In the 00’s when most RB’s were bell cows the difference between good and bad offenses mattered more. Sure it would be great to have a bell cow from a top 5 offense but that is rare to see one primary RB on a high flying offense these days (even a guy like Ekeler rushed for less than 1k this past season.)  Good RB fantasy seasons can still come from bad offenses if they are getting lots of touches.

The far and away #1 RB in fantasy had the ghost of Carson Wentz at the helm of the #26 passing offense last year. People talk about Big Ben being a shell of himself despite his high level of attempts last year and Najee was RB3. Denver had two viable fantasy RB’s last year despite starting Lock and Bridgewater (and if they hadn’t split 50/50, one of JW or Gordon would have been a stud.) Gibson was a low end RB1 despite sharing some touches and with Taylor Heineke at QB. Kamara had 3 different mediocre to outright bad QB’s on the #32 passing offense in yards, missed a bunch of games and still wound up a RB1. Had Swift, Monty, and McCaffrey played a full 17 they would have been top fantasy RB’s and their QB situations are pretty poor IMO.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Neither has Seattle, to be fair. 

Wilson was a third round pick that did pretty well for them - who else could they have developed while Wilson was there? - it wasn’t like they were drafting QBs but high each season.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Wilson was a third round pick that did pretty well for them - who else could they have developed while Wilson was there? - it wasn’t like they were drafting QBs but high each season.

I’m just saying - Wilson’s been there a long time and they haven’t  developed anyone else. It’s a true statement that over the last several years, Seattle has shown as much excellence in developing QBs as Denver. 

 

[TripItUp]

IMO, amount of touches and health determine more if a RB has a good fantasy season these days than the QB under center or the passing offense.

Assuming health and touches, the offense effectiveness is probably the most important factor in determining fantasy success.

The data is overwhelming.

 

[menobrown]

The biggest problem with Walker is his QB...the historical data is pretty conclusive when it comes to RBs on bad offenses.

Is it?

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Okay, so he caught a couple passes at a rookie mini camp and Pete Carroll is super hyped, pumped, amped and excited!

I'm shocked! Shocked I say!

Any information we get now is valuable, in context. I know you’ve been supporting Penny in here, but I don’t think he will be treated as the incumbent in a sense where he’ll still need to compete. Like I said earlier if anything I’d be more hopeful for Penny since I have him on a team and I will not end up with Walker on any teams - but I’m just not sure Penny is “locked in”. He’s a talent and has flashed ability but he’s also not shown to be dependable and that’s why he’s back on a one year deal for small money. Walker has a very good chance to beat him out. Right now I would predict Penny would lead the committee in a 60-40 split because he’s familiar with the system but Walker has a great chance to impress and get more carries.

 

[Chaka]

Any information we get now is valuable, in context. I know you’ve been supporting Penny in here, but I don’t think he will be treated as the incumbent in a sense where he’ll still need to compete. Like I said earlier if anything I’d be more hopeful for Penny since I have him on a team and I will not end up with Walker on any teams - but I’m just not sure Penny is “locked in”. He’s a talent and has flashed ability but he’s also not shown to be dependable and that’s why he’s back on a one year deal for small money. Walker has a very good chance to beat him out. Right now I would predict Penny would lead the committee in a 60-40 split because he’s familiar with the system but Walker has a great chance to impress and get more carries.

My dismissiveness of these comments literally, not figuratively, has nothing to do with Penny. I play in one redraft for almost 30 years, that's it. I own no shares of anyone ATM and absolutely have Walker high on my upside list.

My point is it's May, dude caught some rookie mini camp passes and Pete Carroll, surprisingly , was incredibly effusive with tons of superlatives. It's the "water is wet" version of coach speak. It has, again, literally, not figuratively, zero value. For Walker, Penny, Carson or anyone else in the Seattle backfield.

ETA: I do love Penny's talent, I think he is legit #1 RB caliber, but if I had a draft board ATM, I don't, I probably don't take him as anything other than my RB 3 because the injury history is too recent and too lengthy. And if I did land him Walker would immediately become an overdraft in my book.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

My dismissiveness of these comments literally, not figuratively, has nothing to do with Penny. I play in one redraft for almost 30 years, that's it. I own no shares of anyone ATM and absolutely have Walker high on my upside list.

My point is it's May, dude caught some rookie mini camp passes and Pete Carroll, surprisingly , was incredibly effusive with tons of superlatives. It's the "water is wet" version of coach speak. It has, again, literally, not figuratively, zero value. For Walker, Penny, Carson or anyone else in the Seattle backfield.

ETA: I do love Penny's talent, I think he is legit #1 RB caliber, but if I had a draft board ATM, I don't, I probably don't take him as anything other than my RB 3 because the injury history is too recent and too lengthy. And if I did land him Walker would immediately become an overdraft in my book.

I’m not accusing you of any bias but you’ve more than once shown support for Penny in here, even calling him “elite”. My only point is this may not be a typical incumbent situation since Penny has hardly shown an ability to be depended on and he’s only back on a one year relatively cheap deal.

As far as Carroll being overly effusive, sure that’s a thing but since the one knock on Walker was that he won’t be used in the passing game (just because he wasn’t at MSU) so it’s nice to hear that his coach believes in him in that regard. Obviously it shouldn’t shoot him up draft boards and yes it doesn’t mean much but automatically dismissing it because “Carroll” fails to see the context. Sure you can down play it but to say it has “no value” is disingenuous. It’s a piece in the puzzle. Even if it’s a small piece in the clouds.

 

[Chaka]

I’m not accusing you of any bias but you’ve more than once shown support for Penny in here, even calling him “elite”. My only point is this may not be a typical incumbent situation since Penny has hardly shown an ability to be depended on and he’s only back on a one year relatively cheap deal.

As far as Carroll being overly effusive, sure that’s a thing but since the one knock on Walker was that he won’t be used in the passing game (just because he wasn’t at MSU) so it’s nice to hear that his coach believes in him in that regard. Obviously it shouldn’t shoot him up draft boards and yes it doesn’t mean much but automatically dismissing it because “Carroll” fails to see the context. Sure you can down play it but to say it has “no value” is disingenuous. It’s a piece in the puzzle. Even if it’s a small piece in the clouds.

FTR please remember that most all my comments about players in the SP are from redraft perspective.

I get it but I stand by the notion that this blurb has zero value. He caught passes in a rookie mini camp at less than full speed. I don't think anyone said, pre draft, that he couldn't do that.

It's one of the million data/non-data points that will come out between now and Labor Day. It will move the needle one way, barely, then another data/non-data point will move it back and, ultimately will become part of a noise cloud that we throw a dart at on draft day and pray.

Sorry, I know I am being cynical about this but we all create our own biases. We remember the guys we were right about and look at these moments as validation of our analyses but, we seldom do the same for all the players with similar data/non-data points that fail to pan out.

I like Walker, I really like Penny but this moment in rookie mini camp doesn't move the needle for me. I am not talking long term, I'm a redraft guy so 2022 is all I care about and this season Walker's star is integrally tied to Penny's health. If Penny goes down, some will say "when", Walker is a potential King Maker.

And Seattle looks like a mediocre team, at best, this season so all Seahawks should be discounted in 2022 because of that.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

FTR please remember that most all my comments about players in the SP are from redraft perspective.

I get it but I stand by the notion that this blurb has zero value. He caught passes in a rookie mini camp at less than full speed. I don't think anyone said, pre draft, that he couldn't do that.

It's one of the million data/non-data points that will come out between now and Labor Day. It will move the needle one way, barely, then another data/non-data point will move it back and, ultimately will become part of a noise cloud that we throw a dart at on draft day and pray.

Sorry, I know I am being cynical about this but we all create our own biases. We remember the guys we were right about and look at these moments as validation of our analyses but, we seldom do the same for all the players with similar data/non-data points that fail to pan out.

I like Walker, I really like Penny but this moment in rookie mini camp doesn't move the needle for me. I am not talking long term, I'm a redraft guy so 2022 is all I care about and this season Walker's star is integrally tied to Penny's health. If Penny goes down, some will say "when", Walker is a potential King Maker.

And Seattle looks like a mediocre team, at best, this season so all Seahawks should be discounted in 2022 because of that.

This time of year most of the people on here are looking through a dynasty lens - I'm sure 100% of the people would say from a re-draft perspective that this was not the ideal landing spot for 2022 production because Penny is there in 2022. That's pretty obvious.

However we are a long way to go before redrafts take place and a lot can happen between now and then and Penny's injury history comes into play as well - Walker most likely will have the backfield to himself* (*another back will see some carries of course) when Penny misses time.

And yes - this latest blurb is far from "game changing news" by any means, but the fact that Carroll is addressing his pass catching in a positive way does shed some light on what the plans are for Walker - they have some interest at least in getting him involved in the passing game, which as I said is the biggest knock on Walker's game.

 

[habsfan]

This feels like another "water is wet" statement but Seattle is committed to the run and I believe there's a "2019 Carson" role available if someone can fill it. Filling it is going to require productivity and availability. Penny has shown one but not the other.

I don't subscribe to the belief that drafting Walker where they did automatically means he won't / can't be confined to a relatively minor role this year. On some teams, a committee approach is a philosophy but here it's been more a coping mechanism.

All that to say, we come full circle and are left to guess at how available Penny will be.

 

[zamboni]

Carroll seems to be one of the least RBBC driven coaches out there, so Walker may have to wait his turn with a handful of carries until Penny either gets hurt or just doesn't have the same juice/success he showed down the stretch last year. That could be in the first few weeks or perhaps not at all this year. But if/when Walker does take over, it's fair to say that he may not look back and the backfield will probably be virtually all his.

 

[Faust]

The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar believes Kenneth Walker is a "perfect fit" for the Seahawks' outside-zone run game scheme. 

Walker's proficiency as a "one cut and go" runner at Michigan State should translate well to Seattle's rushing offense, Dugar said. The Seahawks drafted Walker with the 41st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft despite re-signing Rashaad Penny, the most productive back in the NFL over the final six weeks of the 2021 regular season. Chris Carson, coming back from a career-threatening neck injury, is also on the team's backfield depth chart. Head coach Pete Carroll, meanwhile, has praised Walker's pass-catching ability after a collegiate career in which he caught 19 passes in three years. Another injury-marred season for Penny could catapult Walker into a three-down role in what will assuredly be a run-first Seahawks offense. 

RELATED: 

Rashaad Penny

, Chris Carson

SOURCE: The Athletic 

Jun 6, 2022, 12:17 PM ET

 

[Faust]

KENNETH WALKER RB, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

The Seattle Times' Bob Condotta projects the Seahawks' third-down role to Travis Homer or DeeJay Dallas over Kenneth Walker.

Rashaad Penny is expected to be Seattle's featured back if Chris Carson (neck surgery) isn't cleared or lands on PUP. Not playing on pass downs could leave Walker, who caught 19 passes in three seasons at Michigan State, as a change of pace or on the wrong side of a committee to open the year. With Carson and Penny on expiring deals, a J.K. Dobbins track is the floor for Walker, with the rookie backing up before taking over in 2023.

RELATED: 

DeeJay Dallas

, Travis Homer

SOURCE: Seattle Times

Jul 15, 2022, 7:41 PM ET

 

[Leroy Hoard]

The difference in redraft vs dynasty is huge with this guy.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Fantasy Football Rankings 2022: Breakouts from analytical model that nailed Jaylen Waddle's huge year

Top 2022 Fantasy football breakouts

One of the 2022 Fantasy football breakouts the model is predicting: Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III...

...Walker burst onto the scene with a 243-yard, four-touchdown performance in the season-opener against Northwestern and then had a performance Spartans fans will remember forever against Michigan, rushing for 197 yards and five touchdowns. Walker is a compact and powerful back with unpredictable change of direction skills. That's why the model ranks him ahead of established veterans like Melvin Gordon and James Robinson.

 

[Faust]

Danny Kelly @DannyBKelly

"Kenneth Walker III had a pair of red zone TDs Saturday. On the first, he was on the receiving end of an excellent wheel route from Lock in the red zone. Walker’s second score was a dump-off pass in the red zone from Smith, who eluded pressure and found his RB open in the flat."

https://twitter.com/dannybkelly/status/1553759784687394816?s=21

 

[Faust]

Speaking Thursday, coach Pete Carroll said the Seahawks "would feel comfortable" with second-round rookie Kenneth Walker as a three-down back.​

Carroll said Walker has "turned the page" with his pass protection, and the team is far more comfortable with him playing all three downs. This is very notable information on the same day it was announced Rashaad Penny is sidelined again with a groin issue. ESPN's Brady Henderson again reiterated that Walker is "going to play a ton" as a rookie.
SOURCE: Brady Henderson on Twitter
Aug 11, 2022, 5:59 PM ET

 

[Faust]

Seahawks' Carroll praises growth of rookie RB Kenneth Walker III: 'I'm surprised he's so well-rounded'

 

[Ilov80s]

Can't put any stock into a single word that comes from Carroll's mouth. The day before Chris Carson retired, Carroll was probably telling the media that he expected Carson back any day.

 

[Cjw_55106]

stock

Do you trust what any coach says during training camp?
For the record, Carroll implied Carson was done in early June. Almost 2 months before he retired.
"It's just hard on him," Carroll continued. "Our guys love this game that they grow up playing and when they sense that there may be an end to it, it's hard. It's difficult and it's real.

 

[Ilov80s]

stock

Do you trust what any coach says during training camp?
For the record, Carroll implied Carson was done in early June. Almost 2 months before he retired.
"It's just hard on him," Carroll continued. "Our guys love this game that they grow up playing and when they sense that there may be an end to it, it's hard. It's difficult and it's real.

Some more than others. Carroll is a notorious optimist though. The Carson thing was an exaggeration.

 

[Faust]

ESPN's Brady Henderson writes that Seahawks rookie Kenneth Walker "is going to be a bigger part of Seattle's backfield than people may realize."​

Henderson points to Rashaad Penny having only two games of 20-plus runs in his career, and says he could see Walker getting as much of the load as Penny even when both are healthy. He also notes Pete Carroll raved about Walker "turn[ing] the page" in pass protection. Walker feels like a good candidate to soar up the ADP boards as we turn the calendar to September.
SOURCE: ESPN
Aug 16, 2022, 2:11 PM ET

 

[Chaka]

I am a very big fan of Penny and truly hope he can pull it all together but he probably won't end up my roster. I kinda hope someone falls in love with his last five games and jumps on him in the 2nd or 3rd.

 

[Faust]

'I've Seen It': Seahawks RB DeeJay Dallas Reveals Scouting Report on Kenneth Walker III

 

[menobrown]

He's got a hernia

https://twitter.com/BradyHenderson/status/1559681161357496320

@BradyHenderson


Seahawks RB Ken Walker III didn't practice today. Said Pete Carroll: “Ken’s got a little hernia thing that he’s working on and we’ve got to get through that. So I don’t know what to tell you yet, but it’s something that we can attend to and all that ... "

Carroll on Walker continued: "We’ve just got to make sure that he’s OK by the opener is what we’re shooting for.”