2014 Fantasy Football: Marshawn Lynch Will Come With Risk

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Since joining the Seattle Seahawks, RB Marshawn Lynch has matured into one of the best running backs in all of fantasy football. He has racked up over 1,200 rushing yards and scored 10 touchdowns in three straight seasons.

Unfortunately, Lynch’s body has taken a beating in recent seasons. The former California standout has received a whopping 901 carries over the past three years alone. Lynch received 301 carries in 2013 (second in NFL), 315 in 2012 (fifth), and 285 in 2011 (fourth). These are too many carries for one back.

Lynch has also caught 87 balls over this stretch, which brings his total up to 988 touches over the past three seasons. That is very alarming for a 28-year-old back, especially one that spent a majority of the season on the injury report with nagging ailments.

After another 300-plus touch season, though, Lynch won’t be as spry this season. He likely won’t play much in the preseason in an attempt to come into the season with fresh legs. However, it is only a matter of time until Beast Mode starts to breakdown, and all indications are that he will finally hit the wall this year.

Lynch will still be a top-10 back in every fantasy draft, but it may be time to push him into the back of the first round. Instead of jumping on Lynch within the top-six picks of the first round, fantasy fans should consider grabbing a back with more upside like Eddie Lacy or Matt Forte.

 

Adam McGill is the Senior Fantasy Sports Writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @adammcgill83, like him on Facebook, or add him to you networks on Google here or here.


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