Marshawn Lynch has been an absolute workhorse for the Seattle Seahawks over the past three seasons. He topped 300 rushing attempts in both 2012 and 2013 and has scored 39 touchdowns since 2011, carrying a number of fantasy football owners to championships. Is the well finally about to run dry?
Lynch turned 28 in April. Running backs have a tendency to fall off the face of the earth when they creep into their late-20s, and Lynch may be no exception. According to Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, the team will be going with a running back by committee approach in 2014.
Bevell: "We are going to be running back by committee. We really like what Christine Michael is doing right now."
— Terry Blount (@TerryBlountESPN) June 5, 2014
That may be enough to scare some fantasy owners away come draft time. As Rotoworld noted, decreasing Lynch’s workload would have nothing to do with a declining skill set. Beast Mode is scheduled to make $7.5 million in 2015, so he could very well be a salary cap casualty after the upcoming season.
The Seahawks would not have wasted a second-round pick last year on Christine Michael, a former Texas A&M star, unless they were planning for life after Lynch. While Lynch should still be a fantasy starter and could demand the rock if he runs like he always has, his stock is falling a bit. Michael’s is rising.
