Despite their devastating loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16, the Seattle Seahawks have not been eliminated from playoff contention. However, it'll be much more difficult to go on a win streak without star running back Kenneth Walker.

On Thursday, the Seahawks placed Walker on injured reserve with an ankle injury, the team announced. In turn, Seattle signed fellow running back George Holani off of the practice squad.

After missing time with a calf injury, Walker went down with an ankle ailment against the Vikings. He was already ruled out for the Seahawks' Thursday Night Football matchup against the Chicago Bears. Now, the running back's campaign could be ended prematurely.

When placed on IR, players are forced to miss the next four weeks of the season. Of course at this stage of the year, that means the remainder of the regular season. If the Seahawks can make the playoffs, Walker would then be eligible to return. But that is now a big if, especially without their running back.

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Before suffering his potentially season-ending injury, Walker ran for 573 yards and seven touchdowns on 153 carries. He added another 299 yards and a score through the air. While Walker hasn't matched his 1,000 yard peak from his rookie season, he is the clear rushing leader in Seattle. He has at least seven touchdown runs in all three of his NFL seasons. His style of play brings a different element to the Seahawks' offense, something that will be sorely missed over the season's final weeks.

In his absence, Seattle will turn to sophomore Zach Charbonnet. In 15 appearances – including four starts – Charbonnet has gained 453 yards and eight touchdowns on 106 carries. Clearly he has made an impression on the Seahawks and a direct impact in the scoring department. Now, he'll have an opportunity to prove himself in a full-time roll.

If everything falls in the Seahawks' direction, Kenneth Walker would be helping the team win a playoff game. However, his placement on IR, and the team's overall placement in the standings, makes the reality a bit murky.