Zach Charbonnet Hits the PUP List as Seattle's Backfield Gets a Reality Check

Adam Schefter dropped the hammer late Sunday night: Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is officially starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. That means he is locked out of the lineup for at least the first four games of the year.

Putting a guy on the PUP list is the NFL equivalent of telling your friends you are five minutes away when you haven't even put your shoes on. We all knew Charbonnet was nowhere near ready, but making it official still stings for a Seattle offense that relies heavily on his physical style.

"Adam Schefter reported that Charbonnet will miss at least the first four games as he continues to make his way back from offseason knee surgery."

For anyone who forgot how we got here, Charbonnet tore his left ACL back in January during Seattle's Divisional Round playoff win over the San Francisco 49ers. You do not just bounce back from a Grade 3 tear in seven months without access to a time machine.

The Seahawks are going to deeply miss his production out of the gate. Charbonnet was an absolute wrecking ball in 2025, racking up 730 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns while serving as the ultimate red-zone closer.

This leaves the Seattle backfield entirely on the shoulders of Kenneth Walker III. If you are holding Charbonnet in your fantasy league or looking at Seattle's early-season rushing props, it is time to adjust your expectations. Walker is about to see the kind of volume that makes running backs age in dog years.

Seattle has to survive the first month of the season without their most punishing runner. We will find out very quickly if Walker can handle a massive workload, or if the Seahawks will be forced to scour the waiver wire for a rental back before Week 1 kicks off.