Emanuel Wilson spent three NFL seasons proving he belonged. Now, the HBCU product is proving he can carry the backfield for the reigning Super Bowl champions. The former Johnson C. Smith and Fort Valley State standout delivered his biggest performance yet on Sunday for the Seattle Seahawks.
Wilson piled up 120 yards from scrimmage and scored twice in a 30–23 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
For a running back who went undrafted and fought his way toward a second NFL contract, the opportunity has changed. Making the roster used to be the goal. Now, Seattle is putting the ball in his hands with games on the line.
Emanuel Wilson delivers when Seattle needs him
With rookie running back Jadarian Price on injured reserve and Zach Charbonnet still working back from injury, Wilson made his first start for the Seattle Seahawks on October 4.
He answered with 21 carries for 81 yards and an eight-yard rushing touchdown. He also caught three passes for 39 yards, including a 23-yard screen-pass touchdown.
That gave Wilson 24 touches, two trips to the end zone and a performance that helped steady a depleted backfield.
His teammates noticed.
“He put his head down, and he ran like a badass. I’m happy for him,” Seahawks right tackle Abraham Lucas said.
Seattle had managed just 44 rushing yards in its previous game against Washington. Against the Chargers, Wilson’s physical running helped the Seahawks get their ground game moving again.
From two carries to the lead role
Wilson’s first month in Seattle shows how quickly an NFL opportunity can change.
He opened the season with two carries for three yards against New England. Two weeks of heavier work followed, although the results varied.
| Week | Opponent | Carries | Rushing yards | Receiving yards | Total TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New England | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Arizona | 21 | 92 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Washington | 9 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Chargers | 21 | 81 | 39 | 2 |
Through four games, Wilson has 190 rushing yards on 53 carries, plus three receptions for 39 yards. Both of his touchdowns came against the Chargers.
The season average of 3.6 yards per carry leaves room for improvement. Still, Seattle has already asked him to handle 21 carries twice. Sunday added another layer: Wilson could contribute as a receiver while carrying the rushing workload.
For a Seattle Seahawks offense navigating injuries, that versatility matters.
The NFL conversation is catching up
Emanuel Wilson’s breakout has also pushed him into the fantasy football spotlight.
Seattle Seahawks fantasy insider Scott Engel ranked him second among running back waiver options in the team’s Week 5 guide. Engel highlighted Wilson’s value as both a lead ball carrier and a receiving option ahead of Seattle’s matchup with San Francisco.
The immediate outlook gives Wilson another chance to build on Sunday. Charbonnet is not expected to play against the 49ers, while Price remains on injured reserve.
That makes another substantial workload a reasonable expectation.
His longer-term role is less certain. Charbonnet’s eventual return could redistribute carries, and Price’s recovery will also shape the backfield. Wilson’s current lead role gives him a chance to influence those decisions through his play.
Every productive week strengthens his case.
An HBCU journey built for this moment
Emanuel Wilson has answered questions about his ability before.
He began his college career at Johnson C. Smith (JCSU), rushing for 1,040 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019 while earning CIAA Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He later transferred to Fort Valley State, where he developed under Maurice Flowers and became one of Division II’s most productive backs.
In his final college season, he rushed for 1,371 yards and 17 touchdowns. The NFL draft still came and went without his name being called.
A brief opportunity with Denver ended quickly. Green Bay became the place where he built his career, eventually delivering a 107-yard, two-touchdown performance against Minnesota in his first NFL start in November 2025.
Seattle signed him in March after three seasons with the Packers.
The uniform changed. His willingness to keep working carried over.
A big weekend for the family
A day before Wilson scored twice in Seattle, his godbrother Fabian Duncan put together a dominant afternoon of his own.
The Johnson C. Smith running back rushed for 224 yards on 25 carries against Bluefield State. Duncan scored three touchdowns in the first half as the Golden Bulls rolled to a 51–0 victory.
Duncan, the 2025 SIAC Player of the Year at Allen before returning to his hometown to play for JCSU, has become a driving force in the Golden Bulls’ offense.
His connection to Wilson makes their big weekend feel especially fitting.
Earlier this year, HBCU Gameday caught up with Wilson at JCSU’s Eddie C. McGirt Field, where he was training with Duncan. Wilson had returned to the same HBCU program where his own college journey began, sharing the work and experience that helped him reach the NFL.
“I try to give him everything that I didn’t get… pouring time into him,” Wilson told HBCU Gameday.
That relationship will be featured in the upcoming fifth season of Brick x Brick with JCSU Football, which is currently being filmed.
Before their names appeared in weekend highlights, they were together on a practice field in Charlotte. The work connected them long before the touchdowns did.
Fabian Duncan is building his own path. Emanuel Wilson is showing him what persistence can make possible.
And this past weekend, both had something to show for it.
Follow the program where their stories connect. Watch Brick x Brick with JCSU Football free with ads on Tubi, with four seasons available now and Season 5 in production.