Kenneth Walker III is an interesting name to watch in 2023 fantasy football drafts. The Seattle Seahawks running back put up a top-20 performance in both half- and full-point PPR leagues despite opening the season in a time share and only playing 15 games. On the surface, he should be gone within the first 20 or so picks.
And yet early expert projections do not seem to agree. Mike Clay ranked Walker as his RB10 heading into next season while no one at Yahoo put the Seattle rusher in their top-12 list of players. People are willing to bank on Tony Pollard but not this:
- Half PPR – RB16
- PPR – RB18
We aren’t saying Kenneth Walker III should go in the first round of 2023 fantasy football drafts, but he should absolutely be ahead of players like Najee Harris and Pollard. Hell, he is as interesting as Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook and Jonathan Taylor at this point.
That isn’t to say Walker is a sure bet. He only recorded 27 receptions in 2022 and the Seattle passing game didn’t rely on running backs. Having one target or less in seven games is downright scary. The former second round pick also had issues with efficiency. His home run speed can be negated by a willingness to lose yards trying to make something happen.
However, Walker’s ceiling is a top-5 running back. He is now the unquestioned number one option on a run-first team that isn’t afraid to give him the ball 20 times a game. It’s possible he is more involved as a pass catcher moving forward.
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Verdict: Take Kenneth Walker III in the 2nd round of 2023 fantasy football drafts
Kenneth Walker III should absolutely be taken in the 2nd round of 2023 fantasy football drafts. This is a no brainer. He scored more rushing touchdowns and had only 150-rushing yards less than Najee Harris in his rookie season on 79 fewer carries. Yes, the Steelers running back caught 50 more passes, but that was more due to bad quarterback play than anything else.
Let’s think about it another way. Even if 2022 is the floor for Walker, taking him in the second round would still provide a championship-winning platform. Especially considering how things fall off a cliff at running back by the third round.
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