For those of you that invested a first round pick into Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, I am truly sorry. As the only ball carrier in the NFL with at least 1,000 rushing yards and double digit touchdowns in each of the last four seasons, Lynch seemed to be as safe and as consistent as it gets in fantasy. But thanks to some wobbly offensive line play upfront this year and perhaps all that workhorse wear and tear catching up with him, Beast Mode has disappointed owners this season.
Overall, Lynch has carried the ball 103 times for just 375 yards (3.6 YPC) and two touchdowns in six games (he missed two due to injury). The 29-year-old RB has just one 100-yard rushing game this season and will be facing the No. 4 ranked Arizona Cardinals rush defense this week. As a result, ESPN NFL Insider KC Joyner believes fantasy owners should sell-high on Lynch while they still can.
"With five home matchups over the last eight weeks and come off of an eight-point game in Week 8, Lynch might at first glance appear to be in the buy-low category," Joyner wrote.
"That potential value is offset by a schedule that has Seattle facing a red-rated rush defense in three of the next five weeks and having only one green-rated matchup the rest of the season. Lynch's stock should still be high enough right now to command a RB1-caliber back in return, so the advice would be for his fantasy owners to take advantage of that and get out while the getting's good."
Seattle still ranks third in the league in rushing yards per game (139.5) and sixth in YPC (4.6). But that likely has more to do with their run heavy offensive scheme (third most rush attempts in the league) than it does with Lynch's individual effort.
Could he turn it around? Sure, he is Beast Mode after all. But we're getting down to the zero hour in most fantasy leagues and you don't want to be stuck with an underperforming RB1 right now. Try and get something of value for him while you still can.
