Kenneth Walker III leads NFC in missed tackles forced with fraction of carries

Michigan State fans know just how special Kenneth Walker III is. They watched as he torched defenses week in and week out in 2021 and won the Doak Walker Award which is given to the nation’s best running back.

Walker went from split backfield at Wake Forest to Doak Walker winner in just one season and he parlayed that success into a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Seattle Seahawks jumped at the opportunity to draft him despite having a loaded backfield with Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson.

Months after the draft, Carson retired from the NFL suddenly due to injuries and it was basically Penny, Walker, DeeJay Dallas, and Travis Homer in the backfield to start the year. Not quite as top-heavy of a group as it was before Carson’s retirement.

And just weeks into the season, Penny broke his leg and that forced the rookie from Michigan State into action. And he thrived.

Kenneth Walker III has been making NFL defenders look silly

In his first extended action against the Saints, Walker had eight carries for 88 yards, including a huge 69-yard touchdown scamper in the second half.

In his first career start against the Cardinals, he had 97 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and had a number of highlight runs that went viral.

Turns out, Walker is still special.

I mean, he is leading the entire NFC in missed tackles forced in about half the carries as the next closest back (Dalvin Cook).

Walker has forced 22 missed tackles on 44 touches which is a heck of a rate there. Cook has that same number in 94 carries and Saquon Barkley has 20 in 119 touches. That’s an insane stat.

If you’re a fantasy football fan and you didn’t pick up Walker last week, are you really trying?

It’s great to see him thrive in the NFL after watching him dominate college football for a season.