NFC Championship Game 2015: Early Fantasy Predictions for Packers vs. Seahawks

The simple end result of winning is all that the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers covet in their upcoming NFC title game clash, but the details indeed matter in today's NFL.

As the last weekend of the football season that features multiple games, Championship Sunday should bring an uptick in the already feverish world of fantasy football. On top of that, an intriguing matchup between the hard-hitting Seattle defense and Green Bay's high-powered offense leaves plenty of conundrums for fantasy specialists.

With that said, let's break down how all of the impact players for each team should fare. 

Seattle Seahawks	Predicted Stats
Green Bay Packers	Predicted Stats
QB Russell Wilson	230 passing yards, 60 rushing yards, 2 TDs
RB Marshawn Lynch	120 rushing yards, TD
WR Doug Baldwin	60 receiving yards, TD
WR Jermaine Kearse	75 receiving yards
QB Aaron Rodgers	275 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INT
RB Eddie Lacy	45 rushing yards
WR Jordy Nelson	75 receiving yards, TD
WR Randall Cobb	80 receiving yards

Fantasy Stud: Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Marshawn Lynch is Seattle’s bread and butter come playoff time against high-powered NFC opponents, and that was never on better display than in Week 1 versus these very same Packers.

In a 36-16 Seattle win on the first weekend of the regular season, Lynch was unstoppable. He finished with 20 carries for 110 yards, breaking through to the end zone twice in his season debut against a Packers front that could not contain him.

Expect more of the same when the Pack makes a return trip to CenturyLink Field on Sunday afternoon.

Lynch was the focus of the Carolina defense in the divisional round, but he still broke through, as ESPN Stats and Information noted:

Like the initial matchup between these two sides, Russell Wilson will make enough plays through the air to keep the Packers honest defensively. Wilson threw for 191 yards and two scores in the season opener, and his legs will allow him to be effective again.

Green Bay was able to outlast Dallas in the divisional round, but it wasn't due to its struggling run defense. DeMarco Murray ran for 123 yards and a touchdown, and he was seemingly taking the game over before the Cowboys' lapses doomed them late.

When Lynch does the same for Seattle, it won’t result in head-scratching referee reversed calls and Green Bay jubilation. It will result in the Seahawks taking the game over, with Lynch running stride for stride en route to big gains.

Fantasy Bust: Packers RB Eddie Lacy

No player enters Championship Weekend more overlooked in terms of his offensive value than Packers rusher Eddie Lacy.

The talk of Green Bay's offense starts and finishes with Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and a high-flying passing attack that gashes opponents left and right. But the hype around the aerial assault has more than overshadowed an incredible slew of performances from Lacy.

The Alabama product has rushed for at least 97 yards in six of his last seven games, including a 101-yard performance against the Cowboys last weekend. He's been a model of consistency from a fantasy standpoint as of late, but he is doomed to hit a speed bump this weekend.

That will come by way of Seattle's vaunted rushing defense, which ranks third in the league, giving up just 81.5 yards per game on the ground. The Seahawks' muscle up front and physical playmakers are the perfect match for Green Bay and Lacy's downhill rushing style.

In the first meeting between these two teams, the Seahawks bottled up Lacy quite well. He finished with 12 carries for 34 yards, with backup James Starks having a more productive day on fewer carries.

The Packers know that their best chance to win this game is through the air, and Rodgers will inevitably have to make plays against the Seahawks secondary. If Green Bay falls into an early hole, it will lean on the pass even more to help claw back into the game.

That will leave Lacy's impact stymied for the first time in quite a while, and it should result in one of the biggest fantasy letdowns of the weekend.