A torn ACL ended Zach Charbonnet’s season prematurely during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run, but the running back seems to be nearing a return in the coming weeks. After flirting with RB2 value in fantasy football last year, he could make for a great stash pick before his practice window is officially opened. Should fantasy managers be looking to add Charbonnet before Week 4 as a move that could pay off later?
Should you stash Zach Charbonnet in fantasy?
A 2023 second-round pick, Charbonnet operated in a timeshare last year alongside Kenneth Walker III. Despite being in a split backfield, he averaged 11.34 FPPG – largely thanks to a role as the main goal-line back for Seattle. He scored 12 rushing touchdowns in 16 games, also amassing 730 rushing yards on 184 carries. He added another 144 yards through the air on 20 receptions, too.
Charbonnet’s 2025 season wasn’t the most impressive in terms of efficiency with just 3.97 YPC. However, the Seahawks consistently called his number as the short-yardage option and at the goal line, so that does bring down the average a little bit. He was particularly effective after contact with an average of 2.62 yards after getting hit, seventh best among qualified running backs. He also ranked sixth in missed tackles forced per rush attempt, too.
Yes, Charbonnet’s fantasy production was held up by his scoring rate, but there’s reason to believe he could resume that role when he gets on the field this season. His 1.9 attempts per game from inside the 10-yard line ranked fifth at the position last year, and in the prior season under head coach Mike Macdonald, he finished 10th in the stat with 1.5 per game while scoring eight touchdowns on the ground. That usage was sticky under two different offensive coordinators, so it’s possible he’ll step back in as the go-to option in the most valuable part of the field upon his return.
The reason Charbonnet comes up now is because Macdonald said earlier in the week that the running back could have his practice window opened on Thursday. If he does, that opens a 21-day window to activate him from the PUP list, allowing him to get on the field sooner than previously anticipated.
The Seahawks are currently 2-1, and while the passing offense remains stellar, the rushing attack has struggled through the opening weeks. The team ranks 27th in EPA/rush and the backfield split between first-round rookie Jadarian Price, Emanuel Wilson and George Holani hasn’t excelled by any means. Charbonnet is clearly more talented than the latter two, and he could be easier for the staff to trust a runner who knows the team’s system already rather than rely so heavily on three new faces.
Will Charbonnet become an RB1 when he gets back? Almost certainly not, but he could very well replicate low-end RB2 production and perform as a dependable fantasy FLEX once he returns. There’s room for a little bit more depending on how much work he actually sees, as well as how he looks coming off the ACL. In any case, he’s a player to add and stash before the hype begins to pick up.
