The Seattle Seahawks had two of the NFL’s biggest offensive stars last season. Now, one of them is making his case for another major award in a different uniform.
Former Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III is off to a spectacular start with the Kansas City Chiefs, and his early production has put him ahead of former teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba in ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell’s early-season awards rankings.
It’s a fascinating comparison involving the two players who collected the NFL’s biggest offensive individual honors during Seattle’s championship season.
Smith-Njigba won Offensive Player of the Year after a historic receiving campaign, while Walker claimed Super Bowl LX MVP honors before leaving Seattle in free agency.
Four games into 2026, neither has slowed down.
Kenneth Walker Is Thriving With Chiefs After Seahawks Departure
Walker has been everything Kansas City could have hoped for since signing with the Chiefs in March.
Through four games, the 25-year-old has rushed for an NFL-leading 537 yards on 87 carries, averaging an extraordinary 6.2 yards per attempt. He’s also caught 12 passes for 84 yards, giving him 621 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns.
His latest performance was especially impressive.
In Kansas City’s 30-27 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on October 4, Walker rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, including a 76-yard run.
He has already surpassed 100 rushing yards three times, helping the Chiefs open the season 4-0.
The production is particularly notable considering Walker never exceeded 1,050 rushing yards in a season during his four years in Seattle.
At his current pace, he would finish with more than 2,200 rushing yards over 17 games. Maintaining that pace is another matter, but it illustrates just how explosive his first month in Kansas City has been.
For Seattle, watching its former running back emerge as an early awards contender adds another dimension to one of the franchise’s biggest offseason decisions.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Has a Strong Case for Another NFL Award
Walker isn’t the only former Seahawks offensive standout putting up remarkable numbers.
Smith-Njigba has picked up where he left off after winning the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award in 2025.
Through four games, the 24-year-old has caught 32 passes for 481 yards and six touchdowns. His 120.3 receiving yards per game put him on pace for another season exceeding 2,000 yards.
According to Pro Football Focus, Smith-Njigba’s 92.3 receiving grade ranks first among qualifying wide receivers through Week 4.
He was especially dominant against the Arizona Cardinals on September 20, catching nine passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns. He followed that performance with 10 catches for 128 yards and two scores against Washington.
In other words, Smith-Njigba has hardly played his way out of the awards conversation.
The difference is how the two stars are producing.
Walker has given Kansas City an explosive rushing attack that complements Patrick Mahomes, while Smith-Njigba continues to carry a substantial share of Seattle’s passing offense.
Both have six touchdowns. Both are producing at an elite level. And both have credible arguments for Offensive Player of the Year consideration.
Seahawks Face Questions About Kenneth Walker’s Replacement
Walker’s success also draws renewed attention to Seattle’s decision to let him depart.
The Seahawks entered 2026 with uncertainty at running back after Walker signed with Kansas City and Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL during last season’s playoffs.
Seattle subsequently added former Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson and used a first-round draft pick on Jadarian Price.
Those moves were designed to help replace Walker’s production, although Seattle acknowledged during the offseason that replicating his explosiveness would be difficult.
Wilson provided a timely reminder of his abilities in Seattle’s Week 4 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, contributing 81 rushing yards and scoring both a rushing and receiving touchdown.
Seattle improved to 3-1 with the victory, meaning the Seahawks have hardly struggled to win games without their former running back.
Still, Walker’s emergence as one of the NFL’s most productive offensive players gives the decision an interesting new wrinkle.
Seattle retained Smith-Njigba with a four-year, $168.6 million contract extension in March, securing the centerpiece of its passing attack for years to come.
Walker, meanwhile, has become an immediate difference-maker for an undefeated Kansas City team.
The Seahawks are moving forward with their championship core intact. But the possibility of Walker challenging Smith-Njigba for an award the Seattle receiver won just last season is a reminder of how much talent left town after the Super Bowl.
Ex-Seahawks Star Kenneth Walker Gets ESPN Nod Over Jaxon Smith-Njigba