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News

Zach Charbonnet injury update: Seahawks won't activate him for Week 6 vs. Broncos, Week 7 return possible

Charbonnet won't play Thursday against Denver, but ESPN reports he has a legitimate chance to debut in Week 7 against Kansas City.

By Cole Hartwell
Zach Charbonnet
Photo: Maize & Blue Nation / CC BY 2.0 (cropped) via Wikimedia Commons · License

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet won’t make his season debut in Week 6. The team ruled him out for Thursday night’s game against the Denver Broncos, according to Underdog NFL. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Charbonnet has a legitimate chance to play in Week 7 against Kansas City.

What happened

Charbonnet has been practicing since October 1, when Seattle opened his 21-day return-to-practice window while he remained on the physically unable to perform list. He was estimated as a limited participant Tuesday but has not been activated. Coach Mike Macdonald said Monday the team was not planning on having Charbonnet play Thursday. The Seahawks must activate him before the window closes, or he’ll miss the rest of the season, per NBC Sports.

Context

Charbonnet tore his ACL in January’s playoff win over San Francisco, according to RotoBaller. He has not played this season. Last year, he rushed for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns on 184 carries, adding 20 receptions for 144 yards. He shared the backfield with Kenneth Walker III, who signed with Kansas City in free agency.

Seattle’s current backfield has struggled. Emanuel Wilson leads the team with 73 carries for 251 yards and two rushing touchdowns through five games, but he’s averaging just 3.4 yards per attempt. George Holani has 26 carries for 77 yards and 11 catches for 76 yards. Both Wilson and Holani lost fumbles in Sunday’s 32-29 loss to San Francisco. Charbonnet has zero fumbles on 427 regular-season carries in his career, per RotoBaller.

Depth chart

With Charbonnet out, Wilson and Holani will handle the backfield again. Wilson has 51.1 PPR points in five games and is projected for 12.9 PPR points in Week 6. Holani has 24.3 PPR points and a 6.0-point projection. Rookie Jadarian Price is on injured reserve with a chest injury and cannot return before Week 8.

Timeline

On October 3, Field Yates reported on X that Charbonnet was nearing a return to action. On October 5, Fantasy Football Desk reported he would not play in Week 5 but would get team reps in practice. On October 15, Fantasy Football Desk reported he was ruled out for Week 6 against Denver.

What’s next

Charbonnet’s next chance to play is Week 7 against the Chiefs on October 25. Seattle plays at Denver on Thursday night.

RB help could be on the way in Week 7. Seattle’s Zach Charbonnet and Minnesota’s Jordan Mason have realistic chances to return to action next week.

🏈 Fantasy impact

Managers should stash Charbonnet if he’s available. He has a realistic chance to debut in Week 7 and offers goal-line upside with 12 rushing touchdowns last season. But Wilson and Holani remain the starters for Week 6 — Wilson is a low-ceiling flex play against Denver, while Holani is only a deep-league option. If Charbonnet is activated next week, he could immediately take over early-down and goal-line work given Wilson’s fumbling issues and inefficiency. Rookie Jadarian Price returns no earlier than Week 8, so Charbonnet has a window to establish a role. However, Seattle may manage his workload early, so he’s more of a high-upside stash than a sure-fire RB2.

Quick answers

Will Zach Charbonnet play in Week 7?

Charbonnet has a legitimate chance to play in Week 7 against Kansas City, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Seattle must activate him from the PUP list before his 21-day practice window closes.

What is Zach Charbonnet's injury?

Charbonnet is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in January's playoff win over San Francisco. He has been practicing since October 1.

When will Zach Charbonnet return?

Charbonnet is out for Week 6 against Denver. He has a legitimate chance to make his season debut in Week 7 against Kansas City on October 25, but the Seahawks have not committed to a date.

Sources

  1. NFL schedule, Week 6 (ESPN)
  2. Player data (Sleeper)
  3. Seattle Seahawks depth chart, RB (Sleeper)
  4. Zach Charbonnet injury update: Ruled out for Week 6 vs. Broncos (knee) (Fantasy Football Desk)
  5. Zach Charbonnet Out for Week 5, Will Practice (Fantasy Football Desk)
  6. Zach Charbonnet Nears Return, Seahawks Backfield in Flux (Fantasy Football Desk)
  7. Is Zach Charbonnet the Starting Running Back for the Seahawks When He Returns? (Week 6 Update) (RotoBaller)
  8. Seahawks won't activate Zach Charbonnet for Thursday night's game (NBC Sports / ProFootballTalk)
  9. Seahawks won't activate Zach Charbonnet for Thursday night's game (Yahoo Sports)
  10. Seahawks get exciting news on Zach Charbonnet's 2026 season debut (Sporting News)
  11. RB help could be on the way in Week 7. Seattle’s Zach Charbonnet and Minnesota’s Jordan Mason have realistic chances to return to action next week. (X (@JFowlerESPN))

This article was drafted by AI from the sources above and published after every claim passed an automatic check against those sources. Our editor monitors stories and corrects errors. How we work · Report an error