Not too long ago, it seemed like there was no need to worry about Marshawn Lynch's future in Seattle until 2015. That seems to have changed in a hurry, to the point where there needs to be at least some concern over what 2014 will bring.
First there was talk of an expanded role for Christine Michael, as they groom him to take over for Lynch in 2015. Now we've got stories about Lynch hoping for a new contract, to the point where he could walk away from the game without regret. Seattle Times writer Jerry Brewer thinks the team and player could be headed for a standoff -- that the team won't cave, and that ultimate wild card Lynch will also prove inflexible.
We get these kind of standoffs every year, but this is a pretty big one for fantasy coaches. If Lynch is there and ready to play, he's a first-round pick. If he's not, Michael and perhaps even Robert Turbin move from being late-round sleepers to players who could be pivotal in fantasy drafts.
The Seahawks have a mandatory minicamp scheduled for next week; that will be a critical step in determining if this thing has a good chance of being resolved, or being ugly for a while. In the meantime, the Michael hype train can continue to chug along.
--Andy Richardson