Who Should I Start? Zach Charbonnet or Roschon Johnson

Monday, January 8, 4:53 AM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet had his most productive game in weeks in Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals. The rookie took five rushing attempts 32 yards and caught both of his targets for 28 receiving yards. His receptions late in the fourth quarter advanced the Seahawks into Cardinals' territory, setting up Geno Smith's 34-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett. The selection of Charbonnet in the second round of the 2023 draft sparked a debate that he might contend for the starting role but he was firmly in the backseat behind second-year running back Kenneth Walker III. It will be hard to predict what the depth chart will look like in 2024, but Charbonnet can be expected to hang on to his role as the passing down back at the least. Charbonnet's first season ends with 462 rushing yards and one touchdown gained on 108 carries and 209 receiving yards on 33 catches.

Tuesday, February 27, 4:26 PM

On the podium at the 2024 NFL Combine, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said he "loves where Roschon Johnson is in his development." This was in response to a question about Johnson's potential prospects of being the team's lead back in 2024. The former Texas Longhorn rushed 81 times for 352 yards and two touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 209 yards in his rookie season after being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. 25-year-old ball-carrier Khalil Herbert remains on the roster, while veteran D'Onta Foreman is a free agent. While Eberflus' comments are a good sign, it's far too early to project Johnson's potential workload. With a strong free agent and underrated rookie running back class available this offseason, the organization could easily add to its running back room.