Report: Ken Walker expected to play Thursday

It’s impossible to say that the season comes down to the the Week 15 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football for the Seattle Seahawks. However, it is entirely factual to state that any hopes of winning the NFC West rest upon winning the matchup, as a loss would secure the division title for the Niners.

According to a report Wednesday afternoon from NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the Hawks are expected to have the services of rookie running back Ken Walker at their disposal when they take to the field against San Francisco.

How much of a difference Walker playing might make, especially in light of his struggles in the two games prior to suffering the injury that held him out of the loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 14. In his final two full games before getting hurt, Walker totaled just 43 yards on the ground on 24 attempts for a paltry 1.8 yards per attempt. He appeared to be back on track early against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 before being lost for the game, but how well he is able to perform could play a significant impact on Geno Smith’s ability to operate the offense without feeling like he needs to carry the entire team on his back.