The Seattle Seahawks have not released an official Week 1 depth chart, but ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck is already projecting a major rookie role for first-round pick Jadarian Price.
During a segment on NFL Live, Hasselbeck said there should be an “anticipation” that Price will be Seattle’s starting tailback in Week 1. That is a meaningful distinction: Price has not been handed the job publicly by the Seahawks, but the roster situation makes Hasselbeck’s projection easy to understand.
The Seahawks selected Price, a Notre Dame running back, with the No. 32 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. Seattle’s backfield has also changed dramatically, with Kenneth Walker III no longer on the roster and Zach Charbonnet recovering from an ACL injury suffered during the postseason. Walker left in free agency and Charbonnet is recovering from the knee injury, with surgery taking place on February 20.
That is why Hasselbeck’s comment matters. This is not just another rookie getting offseason praise. Price may be stepping into a situation where Seattle needs him quickly.
ESPN’s Tim Hasselbeck Anticipates Jadarian Price Will Be a Week 1 Starter
Hasselbeck framed Price’s role around opportunity as much as talent.
“You have to have an anticipation that he’s going to be the starting tailback in Week 1,” Hasselbeck said on NFL Live.
He also connected that projected role to a real workload.
“As a starting tailback Week 1, you probably have to touch the ball 15 times or more times a game, which is not unusual for a guy drafted in the first round at that position,” Hasselbeck said.
That last part is the key for Seahawks fans. If Price is starting in Week 1, this is not a ceremonial title. A 15-touch role would make him one of the central pieces of Seattle’s offensive plan immediately, especially if Charbonnet is not ready for a full workload early in the season.
Hasselbeck did not say Price can coast into the job. He still noted the rookie will have to earn it. But his larger point was that the circumstances may push Seattle toward Price sooner rather than later.
“I think the situation will dictate he’s the starter in Week 1,” Hasselbeck said. “Zach Charbonnet off the ACL injury, obviously Kenneth Walker isn’t there. That’s not to say he won’t have to earn the job. He will. But it’s basically handed to him.”
Price’s draft slot adds to the pressure. Running backs rarely go in the first round unless a team believes they can contribute quickly. The Seahawks did not spend the final pick of Round 1 on a developmental luxury. They drafted Price into a backfield with a clear path to early carries.
That does not mean there are no questions. Price was not Notre Dame’s full-time starter, and Field Gulls noted that he never topped 15 carries in a college game. The same review highlighted his explosiveness and fit in Seattle’s wide-zone run game, but also pointed to limited receiving usage and pass-protection development as areas to monitor.
Those details make Week 1 more interesting, not less. Price may be the favorite by circumstance, but Seattle still has to determine how much of the offense it can put on him right away.
Seahawks Run Game Could Be Ahead of Schedule From Where It was a Year Ago
Hasselbeck also tied Price’s possible role to the bigger question facing Seattle’s offense: whether the Seahawks can run the ball better than they did for much of last season.
“When you look at the way Seattle ran the football for most of the regular season, they weren’t great at it,” Hasselbeck said. “There’s a possibility that if he does what they think he can, they’ll be better at running the football than they were a year ago.”
The Seahawks finished the 2025 regular season with 507 rushing attempts for 2,096 yards, according to NFL team rushing stats. The issue was not that Seattle ignored the run. It was whether the run game could consistently control games, create efficient early downs and take stress off the passing attack.
That is where Price could change the conversation.
Price has not been named the Seahawks’ starting running back. But if the Seahawks are looking for a Week 1 lead option, the rookie may already be the most logical answer.
Seahawks Rookie Anticipated to Start, ESPN Analyst Says