Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Zach Charbonnet

Saturday, April 25, 5:52 AM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the team's Divisional Playoff win over the 49ers, but even with his availability in doubt to begin the season, if he could have gotten through the first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft without seeing a running back selected to Seattle, he would have been in the best position of his young career. That obviously did not happen, with the Seahawks spending their first-round pick on Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price. With only four total selections heading into the draft, Seattle was tabbed as a team likely to trade back, but they felt enough conviction to use the 32nd overall pick on Price, an indication that he will likely be given starter's reps out of the gate and should be viewed as the future of the position in the Emerald City. With Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III departing in free agency, the presumed path to a Charbonnet starting role, once back and healthy, involved merely beating out low-money free agent acquisition Emanuel Wilson, 2023 7th-round pick Kenny McIntosh, and 2024 undrafted free agent George Holani. As the second running back off the board in this year's draft, Price now represents a significantly sturdier barricade to overcome. Even as the less efficient option in the pair, Charbonnet found moderate fantasy success splitting the backfield with Walker, and he has a chance to reclaim a similar role in year one under new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury. That said, any hopes of a featured role in Seattle have all but disappeared with the drafting of Price, and Charbonnet enters the final season of his rookie contract as a high-end RB3 in dynasty leagues.