Fantasy Football 2017: 3 Backfields to avoid on draft day
By Dan Thomas
2. Seattle Seahawks
When the Seahawks signed Eddie Lacy in March they gave him starting running back money. So that means he’s the starting running back on the team right? Not quite. Lacy started the off-season recovering from an ankle injury stemming from last year and in the preseason he’s been underwhelming on the field. The only reason he was the Seahawks starting running back in each of the last two games was because Thomas Rawls was injured.
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So Rawls is the starting running back, right? For right now, yes. Then again, he’s currently not 100 percent healthy and based on his history, he can’t stay healthy. In 2015 Rawls finished the season on injured reserved and in 2016 he missed seven games due to injury. This preseason, an ankle injury has forced him to miss time. The Seahawks pass-catching running back C.J. Prosise flashed last year as a rookie but injuries limited him to six games and so far this preseason he’s been dealing with a groin injury.
All of these injuries to the Seahawks top-three backs has opened the door for seventh-round pick Chris Carson. This preseason he has 25 touches for 156 yards and two touchdowns. He’s easily been Seattle’s best running back.
Oh, did I mention Pro Football Focus has the Seahawks offensive line ranked as the worst in the NFL?
If I had to draft one player for immediate success it would be…
Thomas Rawls
I expect Rawls to be healthy enough to start Week 1 for Seattle. He’ll be in a timeshare with Lacy and Prosise but should lead the backfield in touches. I’m just not sure how long he’ll last before he misses time with an injury.
If I had to draft one player for long-term success it would be…
Chris Carson
If you want to take a chance on a player with one of your final picks, then draft Carson. Head coach Pete Carroll doesn’t care about draft status or how high a player’s salary is. If a certain player gives him the best chance to win, he’ll put him on the field. I don’t think Carson will see much playing time early on but when (not if) injuries occur to Seattle’s top-three fragile running backs, Carson should get his opportunity.