SEATTLE:
Several teams have spent the preseason trying to find a viable starting running back. The Seahawks appear to have three of them. Marshawn Lynch is the starter, a hard-nosed and high-contact runner who will be the centerpiece of this run-based offense, but carries some risk – he takes a lot of nasty hits. Lynch has played sparingly and posted modest numbers in the preseason, but he looks like the same guy; had a nice run erased by penalty against the Packers. Robert Turbin has been playing as the No. 2, and the team might not lose much with him as the starter. He also ran well against Green Bay, and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry on the preseason. He should play in most passing situations. Then there's second-rounder Christine Michael, who's got the same thick build as those guys but is even faster. He had three really nice touches against the Packers, most notably a 43-yard touchdown that most running backs wouldn't have been fast enough to complete. He'll become Seattle's starter in 2014 or 2015. Our sense is the two youngsters would split time if Lynch gets hurt, with the more effective of the two getting more work. Michael is more talented, while Turbin has more experience and knows the offense better. ... Russell Wilson threw a couple of interceptions against the Packers – one tipped at the line – but he looks fine. He's got a strong arm (nearly connected on a downfield play with Golden Tate), and he'll make some plays with his legs. He doesn't have a dynamic receiving corps, but he'll use all his targets, and a strong running game will help keep defenses honest. ... Golden Tate is the No. 1 receiver, and he'll also return punts. But he doesn't look like a difference maker. In this offense, it doesn't look like they'll force everything through his hands. He's not going to catch 75 passes. They'll run the ball plenty, and they'll rotate through a bunch of wide receivers. Jermaine Kearse might chip in a few plays. Percy Harvin might return and be their top receiver in December (though we doubt it). Stephen Williams probably will be their No. 4 wide receiver. He's the 6-foot-5 speedster who's had 4 receptions of 38-plus yards in the preseason; it makes a lot of sense to bring him in for a few plays per game and have him run those streak routes down the sidelines. Doug Baldwin is one of the best No. 3 receivers in the league. The Seahawks have enough depth at wide receiver that we're not 100 percent sure Sidney Rice will even make the team. He's due a salary of $8.5 million, which is probably three times more than he is worth. When healthy, Rice isn't necessarily any better than those young guys, and he's sat out all of the preseason games after undergoing a non-surgical treatment on his knee in Switzerland. Bottom line: no butt-kicker, dominant receiver here. The Seahawks, recall, scored 50-plus points two weeks in a row last year, and Tate and Rice somehow managed to avoid scoring in either of those games. ... Speaking of committees, it's the same at tight end. Zach Miller is starting, but they'll mix in rookie Luke Willson as a weapon. Willson runs a 4.51, so they'll sneak him into games and see if they can get him isolated against overmatched linebackers for a few big plays. ... The Seahawks Defense is a top-shelf unit. It will play the run well, and has a host of capable pass rushers – some of those guys are banged up, but there's more depth than what most defenses can put out there. The return teams should be above-average: Tate had a 56-yard punt return against the Packers erased by penalties away from the ball, and Kearse scored on a kickoff return against Denver.
This report is taken from today's edition of the Fantasy Index Cheat sheet Update. The newsletter also includes our latest player rankings, camp reports, depth charts, complete stat projections, and access to the custom rankings generator. Haven't ordered yet? BUY IT NOW! Already a subscriber? LOG IN!