Zach Charbonnet Fantasy Overview

2024 Summary

Production & Fantasy Finishes

Charbonnet turned 135 carries into 569 yards and 8 scores. He added 42 grabs, 340 yards, and 1 TD as a receiver.

He recorded three top-10 PPR finishes, including an overall RB1 finish in Week 14. A healthy Kenneth Walker limited the ceiling, though. Charbonnet finished outside the top-24 RBs on 11 occasions.

Usage & Role

Let’s look at the splits with Walker active vs. inactive. The 24-year-old lead back missed time with oblique, calf, and ankle injuries.

In 11 games with Walker, Charbonnet averaged:

• 4.1 carries per game
• 12.8 rushing yards per game
• 2 total rushing TDs
• 6.8% target share

But in six games without the starter?

• 15.1 carries
• 72.1 yards
• .66 rushing TDs
• 12% target share

Essentially, Charbonnet was a plug-and-play fantasy starter when Walker sat. But he wasn’t a startable option with Walker healthy.

Efficiency Metrics

Charbonnet’s efficiency metrics improved compared to 2023. They also look promising alongside his peers – at least as a rusher.

Among 36 RBs with 130+ carries, he ranked:

• 8th in yards after contact per attempt
• 10th in PFF Elusive Rating
• 20th in yards per carry

Charbonnet wasn’t as efficient as a pass catcher. Among 31 RBs with 40+ targets, he ranked:

• 18th in yards after catch per reception
• 20th in yards per catch
• 21st in yards per route run

Offensive Context

Seattle leaned pass under one-and-done OC Ryan Grubb. The former college coach orchestrated a unit that ranked fifth in pass rate and pass rate over expected.

QB Geno Smith rebounded from a down 2023. But Seattle’s O-line remained a problem, leading to a 24th-place finish in PFF’s run blocking grades. They ranked 28th in ESPN’s run block win rate.

Injury History

As a rookie, Charbonnet missed one game with a hamstring injury. He played a full 17-game season in 2024.

2025 Expectations

Projected Role & Competition

Expect Charbonnet to function as a clear No. 2 RB in 2025.

Kenneth Walker returns for a contract year, and he’s simply proven to be more dynamic. But durability is a question mark. He’s missed 2+ games in all three NFL seasons.

Current projections have Charbonnet for 8.5 touches per game, putting him on the fringe of Flex value.

Supporting Cast

We simply can’t make the case that this supporting cast improved over the past several months.

Swapping out Geno Smith for Sam Darnold makes for a slight upgrade based on 2024 results. But it only increases the volatility of this unit based on the complete careers of both passers. And what if Darnold can’t succeed outside of a great environment in Minnesota?

The WR corps looks worse after swapping out D.K. Metcalf for Cooper Kupp, too. The former Ram has missed 5+ games in three straight seasons.

There’s at least reason for hope along the O-line after Seattle invested a Round 1 pick in G Grey Zabel.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

In June, OT Abe Lucas shed some light on the new offensive approach under OC Klint Kubiak.

"I'll put it like this, we're trying to be elite at very few things,” Lucas said via Seattle’s official site. “But those few things are what the offense is going to be based around, and that's the run game. We're going to be elite at the run game. That's the philosophy with it. It's not some hodgepodge of a bunch of different stuff we're just throwing in. We're going to be elite at the basics to make sure that they work so we can do it against anybody."

Seattle signaled a commitment to the ground game by converting rookie TE Robby Ouzts to FB. But does this line up with Kubiak’s brief OC history?

Consider this: In 2021 – with Kirk Cousins at QB – the Vikings ranked 21st in pass rate and pass rate over expected.

Last year, in a much less stable situation, New Orleans finished 19th in pass rate; 25th in pass rate over expected.

So it’s reasonable to expect a run-focused attack in 2025 – especially considering the current personnel.