Chris Carson is out for the year, but he and the team sound optimistic that it’s not a career-ending injury. Neck surgeries are worrisome, of course, but this one is apparently different than those that ended the careers of other Seahawks – Kam Chancellor, Cliff Avril.

Pete Carroll at least says he’s hopeful Carson will come back and start for the team in 2022, and Carson says he expects to continue playing. Spotrac.com indicates he has a base salary of $4.5 million.

For dynasty purposes, then, I would think that Carson would slot in with the above-average backup running backs. In his case, he’s shown that he can play. It’s just a question of whether he’s healthy. I think that makes him similar to guys like Alexander Mattison and Chuba Hubbard.

The Seahawks are going with Alex Collins (also 27) as their starter for now. With the here and now being most important, I think he’s the most valuable Seattle running back right now.

Also note that Carroll multiple times this week has mentioned Rashaad Penny, the former first-round pick who’s been a disappointment this year. Carroll indicates Penny will be the team’s 2nd-string running back for the remainder of the season, and that he’ll get some carries. Penny didn’t get on the field last week because Seattle got crushed in time of possession, but it wants to run the ball a lot more. Also worth noting that Collins has been playing with a groin injury. Some chance, in other words, that Penny actually starts a game or two before the end of the season.

“Really looking forward to see where he goes and contributes this weekend,” Carroll said on Friday. “It’s really his time to help us, and so as we go through the next couple of weeks you’ll see him continue to be a big part of it.”

The Seahawks also has Travis Homer, who actually played more than Collins last week, but Homer is more of a third-down back. And I like the look of DeeJay Dallas (who’s built like Carson and Penny) but they seem to view him as a special teams and passing-downs back for now.

Below are my dynasty league rankings for running backs, and I’ve got the Seattle guys in bold. Rookies tagged with black dots. Rankings assume PPR scoring, with teams allowed to get players indefinitely. Perhaps a 12-team league, with each carrying about a half dozen running backs.

Last week: Quarterbacks.

Next week: Tight ends.

DYNASTY LEAGUE RUNNING BACKS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.INDJonathan Taylor22
2.PIT• Najee Harris23
3.CARChristian McCaffrey25
4.DETD'Andre Swift22
5.NOAlvin Kamara26
6.TENDerrick Henry27
7.MINDalvin Cook26
8.DALEzekiel Elliott26
9.CLENick Chubb25
10.CINJoe Mixon25
11.NYGSaquon Barkley24
12.LACAustin Ekeler26
13.DEN• Javonte Williams21
14.JACJames Robinson23
15.WASAntonio Gibson23
16.LARDarrell Henderson 24
17.TBLeonard Fournette26
18.CHIDavid Montgomery 24
19.GBAJ Dillon23
20.KCClyde Edwards-Helaire22
21.NE• Rhamondre Stevenson23
22.LVJosh Jacobs 23
23.SF• Elijah Mitchell23
24.NEDamien Harris 24
25.PHIMiles Sanders 24
26.GBAaron Jones26
27.CLEKareem Hunt26
28.BUFZack Moss23
29.ARIJames Conner26
30.NYJ• Michael Carter22
31.BALJ.K. Dobbins22
32.ARIChase Edmonds25
33.SEAAlex Collins27
34.MIAMyles Gaskin 24
35.DALTony Pollard 24
36.ATLCordarrelle Patterson30
37.BUFDevin Singletary 24
38.INDNyheim Hines25
39.CAR• Chuba Hubbard22
40.DENMelvin Gordon28
41.LVKenyan Drake27
42.LARSony Michel26
43.JAC• Travis Etienne22
44.CLED'Ernest Johnson25
45.SEAChris Carson27
46.PHI• Kenneth Gainwell22
47.MINAlexander Mattison 23
48.KCDarrel Williams26
49.TBRonald Jones24
50.CHI• Khalil Herbert23
51.WASJ.D. McKissic28
52.SFJeff Wilson26
53.BALDevonta Freeman29
54.NOMark Ingram31
55.LAC• Larry Rountree23
56.SF• Trey Sermon22
57.NYJTy Johnson 24
58.BALLatavius Murray31
59.HOUDavid Johnson29
60.TEND'Onta Foreman25
61.CINSamaje Perine26
62.NYGDevontae Booker29
63.NOTony Jones24
64.JACCarlos Hyde30
65.LACJustin Jackson25
66.LARCam Akers22
67.MIASalvon Ahmed22
68.ATLMike Davis28
69.DETJamaal Williams26
70.SEARashaad Penny25
71.NEJames White29
72.NYJTevin Coleman28
73.HOUPhillip Lindsay27
74.INDMarlon Mack25
75.PHIBoston Scott26
76.SFRaheem Mostert29
77.SEADeeJay Dallas23
78.TBGiovani Bernard30
79.SFJaMycal Hasty25
80.CHIDamien Williams29

—Ian Allan