Seahawks list RB Kenneth Walker III, RT George Fant as questionable

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks have listed running back Kenneth Walker III and right tackle George Fant as questionable for Sunday’s away game against the New England Patriots, posing a challenge for their offensive line as Seattle seeks to improve to 2-0 under new coach Mike McDonald.

The Seahawks will also be without outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (knee), arguably their best defensive player, as well as backup linebacker Pharaoh Brown (foot). The team has placed starting linebackers Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) and Jerome Baker (hamstring) on ​​the questionable list, though Baker has practiced in limited capacity all week and Dodson developed into a full participant on Friday.

Walker went down in obvious pain at the end of a carry in the fourth quarter of the Seattle Seahawks’ season-opening win over the Denver Broncos. Walker immediately pointed to his side and did not return. He initially reported abdominal pain, though it has since been listed as an oblique muscle injury.

Fant, who plays at right back while Abby Lucas remains on the physical injury list, injured his knee 13 plays into the game. He needed help to be carried off the pitch and was quickly ruled out.

When asked about his injury after the game, Walker told reporters, “I’m fine.” McDonald also said after the game that the team was optimistic that Walker was fine, but that neither he nor Fant had practiced this week.

“He’s feeling good,” McDonald said of Walker on Friday. “He’s getting better, but it’s questionable right now and we’ll go from there.”

Walker missed two games last year and most of the third with an abdominal injury. Asked about his chances of playing Sunday, McDonald said, “I doubt it.” Asked if Fant or Walker’s injuries were serious, he simply said, “We’ll let it be for now.”

With Walker doubtful, Zach Charbonnet is expected to start. The second-year offensive lineman caught a 30-yard pass from Geno Smith early in the fourth quarter against Denver, but gained just 12 yards on eight attempts.

Charbonnet, a second-round pick last year out of UCLA, made two starts for Walker as a rookie, totaling 157 yards and a touchdown on 38 touches in those games.

“They have a lot of the same skills,” offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said of Charbonnet compared to Walker. “He’s a great receiver in the backfield, he’s a very good pass protector, and he’s obviously a very strong run player, so I don’t think there’s anything in the game plan that would change if Kane wasn’t available.”

Kenny McIntosh is the Seahawks’ third-string linebacker. The team also has rookie George Holani on the practice squad.

Stone Forsyth replaced Fant in the opener and finished with a pass-blocking win percentage of 54.5% (six pass-blocking wins and five losses), the lowest among 64 qualified offensive tacklers in Week 1. He was also suspended for a false start.

However, Seattle’s offensive line improved in the second half, allowing pressure on just 23 percent of Smith’s passes with no sacks after the quarterback was pressured on 47 percent of his passes and had two touchdowns in the first half.

“He did a good job,” McDonald said of Forsyth, who is in his fourth year. “We ended up winning the football game. He allowed two passes at the edge, and we’re going to work on that. But when he came in, we ended up winning the game, and therefore winning the football for us.”