Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III breaks out; new home for Cam Akers?: NFC West Stock Watch
By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFC West Writer
The Seattle Seahawks knew they had a talented runner when they selected Michigan State product Kenneth Walker III in the second round of this year's draft.
But coach Pete Carroll also anticipated it would take time for Walker to transition to a more complex NFL offense.
Well, in his first NFL start, Walker, who missed most of the preseason because of a hernia, appears to have figured things out. He rumbled for 97 yards on 21 carries in a win over the Arizona Cardinals last weekend, including an 11-yard run for a score.
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Kenneth Walker III told FOX Sports' Jennifer Hale that his preparation was the key to his performance against the Cardinals in Week 6.
"I loved that he showed the stuff that we had been seeing," Carroll said. "You really saw the extraordinary side to side, lateral stuff that he has. He'll be more consistent though, and he's going to get better. He's going to get better at seeing things, taking advantage of blocks and all of that. Man, he's a good football player, though."
Walker now has 243 rushing yards on 44 carries, for a hefty 5.5 yards per rush. Even more impressive has been his ability to make defenders miss. According to Pro Football Focus, Walker forced 12 missed tackles against the Cardinals. His 22 forced missed tackles on 44 carries is the highest rate in the NFL, according to the analytics website.
"I was just running hard," Walker said about his ability to make defenders look silly. "I never like the first guy to tackle me. That's my play style, just running hard."
Walker also showed respect for fellow Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny, crediting him for his increased production on the field. Penny is out for the season after suffering a broken ankle that required surgery.
"I wanted to play for Rashaad because that's someone who always supported me," Walker said. "Behind closed doors he always supported me, and he was like my biggest fan. He always wanted to see me do good, and nowadays you don't get that a lot of the time. So I'm very thankful for Rashaad, and I hate that he's going through that."
The elusive Walker headlines our weekly look at who's rising and falling in the NFC West.
RISING
Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III: One thing the Seahawks have done with Walker is move him around so defenses don't get a bead on where he will be on the field. According to Pro Football Focus, Walker has lined up in the slot five times, 13 times out on the perimeter as a receiver and three times in the Wildcat.
Walker said in high school he played a lot as a slot receiver. "It's pretty normal for me," he said. "I love to do other things, other than running the ball."
Cardinals LB Zaven Collins: The first-round selection for the Cardinals in the 2021 draft made some big plays in Arizona's loss to the Seahawks over the weekend, finishing with a team-high nine tackles — including two tackles for loss — two sacks and a pass breakup.
It's the second time Collins has led Arizona in tackles in the past three weeks. For the season, Collins is second on the team with 41 combined tackles. The Tulsa product is growing into his new role as the signal-caller in the middle of Arizona's defense and emerging as one of the leaders on that side of the ball.
Rams WR Ben Skowronek: The Notre Dame product finished with 57 scrimmage yards and his first career score on a 17-yard touchdown run in L.A.'s home win over the Carolina Panthers.
Skowronek has developed into an important utility man for the Rams, proving effective as a fullback in run blocking, along with making plays on the perimeter in an L.A. offense searching for playmakers other than Cooper Kupp.
FALLING
Cardinals WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown: The fleet-footed receiver suffered a fractured foot that coach Kliff Kingsbury says will keep him out indefinitely. Brown already missed time with a hamstring injury in August. He also was arrested during training camp for criminal speeding.
Brown currently leads the Cardinals in receptions (43), receiving yards (485) and touchdown receptions (3). The Cardinals traded a first-round selection to the Baltimore Ravens to acquire Brown this offseason.
He has one year left after this season on his rookie deal and would like an extension. However, availability is a player's No. 1 ability in the NFL, and Brown must prove he's a reliable option if the Cardinals are going to make a long-term investment in the speedy receiver.
Rams RB Cam Akers: The Rams appear ready to part ways with Akers, who was inactive for last week's game against the Panthers due to personal reasons.
Akers appeared on his way to stardom after a productive rookie season in 2020. Then he suffered a torn Achilles tendon just before the start of his second year and has not consistently shown the same explosiveness in his return to the field. This season, he has 151 yards on 51 carries, averaging just three yards per carry.
Akers has a year left after this season on his rookie deal, so perhaps he would like to move to another team where he can be more of a focal point of the offense. That would give him more opportunity at increased production so he can earn a new deal.
Whatever the Rams decide, Akers can be a lead back in the NFL when healthy. But it might not be in L.A.
Niners RB Jeff Wilson Jr: After rushing for more than 100 yards two weeks ago against the Panthers, Wilson struggled to take care of the football in a loss to the Falcons. His fumble in the first quarter was returned for a score, allowing Atlanta to grab an early 14-0 advantage.
Wilson totaled just 25 rushing yards on seven carries, and San Francisco posted just 50 rushing yards for the game. The Niners are dealing with a rash of injuries and need consistent production from the running game to help balance out the passing game for Jimmy Garoppolo. Until Elijah Mitchell returns from an MCL injury next month, Wilson needs to be part of the solution.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.