Who Should I Start? Zach Charbonnet or Emari Demercado

Thursday, August 27, 11:17 AM

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald did not say whether running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) could come off the Physically Unable to Perform list before the start of the 2026 regular season in early September, according to Corbin K. Smith of Emerald Spectrum. The Seahawks have not offered many injury updates at all on Charbonnet this summer after the former second-rounder in 2023 from UCLA tore his ACL in last year's postseason. The 25-year-old was never really expected to be ready for Week 1 of 2026, and Seattle's lack of updates pretty much confirms that will not be happening. Although we don't have a clear timetable for when Charbonnet might make his season debut, the Seahawks expect him to contribute at some point, which makes him a late-round stash target at the running back position after he had 184 carries, 730 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns in 16 regular-season games last year. Charb has had 20 total rushing touchdowns over the last two years and will eventually be back in a key backfield role for the defending Super Bowl champions. Until then, George Holani and rookie first-rounder Jadarian Price figure to split backfield touches in Seattle, with Emanuel Wilson also pitching in.