Charbonnet will miss 49ers game as Seattle assesses depleted backfield

Zach Charbonnet will not play against San Francisco in Week 5, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Monday. The running back is expected to take team repetitions in practice this week as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL, but Seattle's first opportunity to activate him will pass without a return to game action.

Charbonnet returned to practice last week while remaining on the physically unable to perform list. Monday's announcement gives the backfield a clearer immediate outlook: Jadarian Price is on injured reserve with a chest injury, and Charbonnet will also be unavailable for the next game.

Macdonald praised Charbonnet's movement, cutting and change of direction in Seattle's official report. Those observations describe encouraging progress in rehabilitation. The coach's separate decision on Sunday's availability still governs the game plan.

Emanuel Wilson supplied the strongest answer against the Chargers. He carried 21 times for 81 yards and a touchdown in Seattle's 30-23 victory, adding three catches for 39 yards and another score. Seahawks Wire reported those totals Monday, showing the workload Seattle gave him with Price and Charbonnet absent.

Seattle placed Price on injured reserve Saturday and signed Velus Jones Jr. from the practice squad to the active roster. Price must miss at least four games. He originally injured his chest against Arizona, returned at Washington and aggravated the problem in practice before the Chargers game. Jones joins Wilson and George Holani among the available backs.

Seattle is also exploring an outside option. NBC Sports reported Sunday that Joe Mixon was scheduled for a Monday workout. That report does not establish a signing or a change to the active backfield.

For fantasy managers, Charbonnet's practice progress cannot supply a Week 5 lineup option. Wilson's Sunday workload is the clearest recent evidence of Seattle's current distribution, while any Mixon transaction would require a fresh assessment of the group. Seattle has not announced a subsequent activation date for Charbonnet.

The defense has its own uncertainty ahead of the division game. Leonard Williams left the Chargers win with an ankle injury. Macdonald said Seattle was optimistic about his availability against the 49ers, with the rest of the week determining whether he can play. That assessment is more encouraging than an exclusion, but it leaves his game status open.