The Seattle Seahawks did a lot of things right in Week 1. They were able to beat the New England Patriots (again) without star quarterback Sam Darnold , for example.
The defense, in particular, was elite. The Patriots were held to just 277 total yards of offense and 10 points. The unit picked Drake Maye off three times and held running back Rhamondre Stevenson to just 51 yards.
The offense, meanwhile, was good enough. Drew Lock didn't make any mistakes, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a huge game, to nobody's surprise.
However, there's an obvious change the Seahawks could make ahead of Week 2 to improve the ground game.
Seahawks Should Treat Jadarian Price Like RB1

Aug 15, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8) during warmups before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lumen Field. Steven Bisig - Imagn Images
In the opener, the Seahawks wen with a 1A and 1B approach at running back. The rookie Price got 10 carries, while veteran George Holani received eight.
Price took those 10 carries for 52 yards, while Holani ended with 29. No disrespect to Holani, but it's clear what he is at this point. Price is a rookie with a seemingly limitless ceiling, and he needs more carries so he can develop.
I understand being cautious with the rookie in his first-ever NFL game, but the handcuffs need to be taken off, especially with Sam Darnold set to miss at least the Week 2 matchup.
Drew Lock looked more than serviceable in Darnold's place in Week 1, but his full history suggest he shouldn't be relied on to do too much. If Darnold misses multiple games, Lock is going to need the run game to help him out. It's clear that Price is the most talented running back on the team, so he needs to be heavily involved.
Price's yardage total definitely doesn't pop off the page, but it's how he got those yards. The rookie looked explosive and decisive, which is rare for a running back making his NFL debut. Price also averaged 3.0 yards after contact per attempt, showing how hard he is to bring down.
Until Zach Charbonnet gets off of the PUP list , Price is the only running back we need to see on the field.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
