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As the Seattle Seahawks mine the running back market, here are five they can sign to make fantasy football owners happy (or sad).
Despite having one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks continue to be a run-heavy offense. Last year they were 27th in the league in pass percentage (54.3 percent).
That focus on the run is good for the fantasy value of Seattle’s running backs, going back to Marshawn Lynch. In 2019, Chris Carson came in as RB9 in standard scoring leagues with solid production as a receiver (37 receptions for 266 yards and two touchdowns).
But Carson (hip) was injured again in Week 17 last year, and while he’s expected to be ready for Week 1 his backup Rashaad Penny (torn ACL) is virtually certain to not be ready to go until deep into the season. The Seahawks brought Lynch back for the playoffs last year, and there has been talk about bringing him back this offseason.
With Penny’s status particularly in doubt for the start of the season, which isn’t exactly news since he tore his ACL in Week 14 last year, the Seahawks appear to ramping up their pursuit of other running backs. The healthy options behind Carson right now, assuming his own health, Seattle has Travis Homer and rookie DeeJay Dallas.
So the Seahawks will almost surely be adding someone to their backfield before the season starts.
Here are five running backs the Seahawks can sign to make fantasy football owners happy. Or it could make some sad, depending on who it is and the feelings about Carson’s prospects this year. It’s a sliding scale of 1-10, with 1 being the saddest and 10 being maximum fantasy football happiness.
5. Marshawn Lynch
In three games back with the Seahawks last year, Week 17 and two playoff games, Lynch had 30 carries for 77 yards and four touchdowns. He appears willing to come back again, and it’s very possible Seattle is the only team he’d come back to play for (unless he wants to play with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay?).
Lynch would be a part-time player now at 34 years old, with some likely focus on red zone work. The idea he’d take some touchdowns away from Carson isn’t ideal, but overall Lynch would have minimal impact and not annoy fantasy owners too much.
Seahawks RB Fantasy Grade: 8/10