Week 13 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Eddie Lacy played 52% of the snaps and had 20 touches for 61 yards. Those numbers might not be good enough for Seattle to keep getting him on the field or get the ball in his hands. Most likely, J.D. McKissic will get more time on the field against Philadelphia.
Not that it matters. The Eagles are No. 1 in aFPA to running backs and Seattle has a bad offensive line and the running back situation has been unpredictable. Keep Lacy on the bench for Week 13.
Week 9 vs. Washington Redskins
The No. 1 back for Seattle seems to change every week. Eddie Lacy gets the nod this week, mainly because Coach Pete Carroll said so to the media. Last week, he has six carries for zero yards. So if you believe Carroll, Lacy will put up better numbers for sure.
Lacy faces Washington who is 8th in aFPA to running backs but got run over last week by Dallas. If Lacy does get the touches, he rates good enough to start as a RB3 or flex for Week 9.
Week 8 vs. Houston Texans
Eddie Lacy had 12 touches to put him in the fantasy conversation moving forward. It was the exact same amount of teammate Thomas Rawls so we might have a true platoon situation going on in Seattle.
Lacy will face the Texans who are 3rd in aFPA to running backs so it won't be easy sledding this Sunday. With that factor and splitting carries, Lacy should be on the bench for Week 8.
Week 7 at New York Giants
Before the bye week, Eddie Lacy appeared to be the best fantasy option in the Seattle backfield, but Thomas Rawls equaled Lacy's touches with 10. So, we could see them splitting duties again this Sunday.
The Giants rank 23rd in aFPA to running backs, but even with the favorable matchup, there won't be enough touches to make Lacy relevant in Week 7. Keep him on the bench.
Week 5 at Los Angeles Rams
With Chris Carson now out, Eddie Lacy returns to the top of the Seahawks depth chart. He had 11 carries last week and although we don't expect 20 carries anytime soon and Thomas Rawls will be involved as well, Lacy is relevant again after being drafted in many leagues as an RB1 before the season started.
The Rams are up next for Seattle and LA ranks last in aFPA to running backs. If we knew Lacy would get the bulk of the carries, he actually could push himself to RB2 status, but he still is someone that you should consider playing in standard leagues as a low-end RB3 or Flex.
Week 2 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Eddie Lacy carried the ball five times for 3 yards on Sunday and that's not a good sign for anyone who owns him. There are four running backs in Seattle and Lacy's role is undefined.
One thing is for sure. He shouldn't be on your roster at this point unless we see more snaps and more touches this week against San Francisco.
Week 1 vs Green Bay Packers
The Seahawks' running back situation is confusing because the team likes all three players for different reasons. Eddie Lacy is the seasoned veteran who was No. 1 on the depth chart throughout camp, but he appears to have fallen to the No. 2 spot for the opener against Green Bay.
Even if he was the starter, we don't expect any of the backs to get more than 12-15 touches which screams running back by committee. Keep Lacy on the bench for Week 1 and watch how Seattle uses their backs.
Fantasy Upside
There is no doubt Eddie Lacy has a pedigree. He averaged over 1,150 yards his first two seasons while scoring 20 touchdowns. Lacy also racked up over 200 carries each of those seasons. With the move to Seattle, Lacy finds himself on top of a talented running back depth chart. Despite the fact his overall numbers have dropped for different reasons, he still maintained a healthy 4.3 yards per carry average.
Fantasy Downside
Lacy's 2016 season ended with ankle surgery and many people believe his weight might have had something to do with it. It has been an issue throughout his career and he will have to show head coach Pete Carroll he can keep the weight off (and was given incentives to do so). Lacy will also be on a short leash because C.J. Prosise and Thomas Rawls have both had some success as the team's feature back.
2017 Bottom Line
Lacy is a risky pick just because of the fact we really don't know how the Seahawks will use their backs. His ADP is 71 and he has been the 27th running back coming off the board. Owners have been weary despite the fact Lacy is the No. 1 back at this point. He has handled his weight management well early in camp and should be the early favorite to be the leading rusher. He ranks only as an RB3, but the reward could be a No. 1 back on a pretty good team.
Week 6 vs. Dallas
Lacy had 11 carries for 81 yards last week before leaving with an ankle injury. He'll be limited in practice, but is expected to play against a tough Dallas defense that has been tough against opposing running backs - in part because the Cowboys have played with leads. Backup James Starks also is hurting and might not play this week, which would help Lacy's value. He's a No. 2 back this week.
Week 5 vs. New York Giants
Lacy had 17 carries for 103 yards in his last outing before the bye, doubling his total for the season. The 17 carries were a season high, and he's averaging just 14 per game thus far. The Giants haven't allowed an opposing back to top 100 yards yet this season, though they have given up three rushing TDs to running backs, including two last week against Minnesota. But if Lacy isn't going to get more touches, he's not worth using as more than a No. 2 back. It is worth noting James Starks got just one carry in Green Bay's last game, so that could bode well moving forward.
