Chris Carson

Carson's physical running style is slowly taking a bigger toll on him. After missing three games the prior two years, he missed four in 2020 due to a foot injury that lingered through the final weeks. When he was on the field, he was more efficient than ever and produced a career-high 4.8 yards per carry, but his volume was also significantly lower as coach Pete Carroll finally let Russell Wilson cook ... at least for a couple months. Carson has never been a particularly elusive back, preferring to lower his shoulders and plow through tacklers, but he got more help from a slowly improving Seahawks offensive line last year, with his 2.7 average yards before contact nearly a full yard better than the season before. He's also turned himself into an adequate pass catcher, though he'll never be a true asset in that area. Seattle has assembled a committee of backs who bring slightly different things to the table. That could mean another low-volume campaign for Carson even at the top of the depth chart as he shares snaps with Rashaad Penny, DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer. Of course, the whole group has never been healthy at once, so finding playing time for them all hasn't been a problem. Carson's the best of the bunch, but the gap may not be as large as their respective resumes would suggest.

A season-ending hip injury in Week 16 marred what was otherwise another strong campaign for Carson in 2019. While he was expected to lose touches to Rashaad Penny, he instead held off his challenger and saw an even bigger workload than he had the year before, as he showed a little more utility in the passing game while retaining his lead role on the ground. Carson does not do anything fancy with the ball, but his size (5-11, 222) and physical running style make him a load to bring down - he finished top 7 in broken tackles in both 2018 and 2019. He also averaged 2.6 yards per carry after contact last year, good for ninth in the league. With Penny recovering from an ACL tear and unlikely to be healthy for Week 1, Carson perhaps has less competition for snaps to begin the season, though the Seahawks drafted DeeJay Dallas in the fourth round and signed Carlos Hyde. Assuming his workload remains steady, there's still room for improvement in Carson's numbers, as he saw only nine carries from inside the 5-yard line last year - about half his 2018 total. He needs to stay healthy and prove he's fully recovered from the fractured hip, but more goal-line work would give the fourth-year RB a shot at double-digit touchdowns in addition to his consistent yardage.

In many ways, Carson is the perfect running back for the Seahawks. Seattle's much-maligned offensive line improved at run blocking last year with the additions of guard D.J. Fluker and new position coach Mike Solari, but it was still convenient to have a lead back who prefers running through people rather than waiting for holes to develop. The Oklahoma State product actually led the NFL in broken tackles on rushes in 2018 (39 put him one ahead of Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry) and while that running style makes Carson more susceptible to injury, the results last year were impressive once he seized the No. 1 job for good in Week 3. He finished with Seattle's first 1,000-yard season since Marshawn Lynch in 2014, reviving a moribund rushing attack with the help of new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Carson doesn't have any other standout traits besides power, however, and a lack of pass-catching skill limits his overall upside. Rashaad Penny, the 27th overall pick in last year's draft, will push hard for more touches this season, but the duo have a lot in common in terms of their skill sets, so a traditional runner/receiver timeshare won't necessarily develop. More likely, coach Pete Carroll will let his running backs battle for carries, which could lead to solid season totals for both in the league's most run-heavy offense but frustration for fantasy owners when it comes to guessing which player will come out on top any given week.

Carson, a seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma State last year, won the starting job in the Seahawks' backfield in training camp and put together a solid four-week run before breaking his leg and ending his season. It's easy to see what the coaching staff liked about the rookie, as he runs with tackle-breaking power behind a 5-11, 218-pound frame and seems to welcome contact without hesitation. The downside is that he doesn't make many defenders miss, and an injury history that dates back to his junior year in college suggests he might not be able to withstand the pounding his running style attracts. Carson also doesn't offer much in passing situations, limiting his role primarily to early downs and short-yardage spots. The selection of Rashaad Penny in the first round leaves Carson in a tricky spot, though the second-year pro did open training camp with the starting offense. With Penny now uncertain for Week 1 while recovering from a broken finger, Carson is on track to open the season as Seattle's starting running back. Of course, the battle for carries may just be getting started.

It appears as if the Seahawks will opt to have a running back by committee in 2017 with Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise all capable of leading the charge. Beyond that, Seattle has a handful of young backs competing for limited roster spots, and Carson, a seventh-round selection, will have to separate himself from the crowd if he hopes to remain on the roster come September. While he failed to record major stats at Oklahoma State, the 22-year-old performed admirably during the combine, running a 4.58-second 40 while posting a 37-inch vertical and 130-inch broad jump, but don't expect him to see major reps in 2017.