Marshawn Lynch, Thomas Rawls Post-Week 7 Fantasy Advice

A struggling San Francisco 49ers team is just what the doctor ordered for the Seattle Seahawks, who improved to 3-4 in 2015 after a 20-3 victory over their division rival. 

While they are a top-10 rushing side in the league, the Seahawks haven't gotten consistent outputs from running backs Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Rawls, something that has had fantasy football owners ripping their hair out.

Let's take a look at how both Seattle backs fared against the Niners on Thursday night.

Marshawn Lynch

Attempts	Yards	TDs	Targets	Receptions	Yards	TDs
27	122	1	0	0	0	0

For fantasy owners who took Lynch with a top-five pick in their drafts, this is hardly the 2015 that you were visualizing from the bruising back and touchdown machine.

With a hamstring injury forcing him to miss Weeks 4 and 5, Lynch has had only two games, including Thursday, in which he has gained over 70 yards.

A stellar opening drive saw him carry the ball nine times for 38 yards and a touchdown, just his second of the season. He's had 11 or more touchdowns in each of the past four seasons.

But he was quickly at the double-digit plateau in fantasy points before slowing down yet again, as WCNC NBC's Chris Clark showed:

He never left the field and continued to get a majority of the carries, eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the first time this season. A fully healthy Lynch should be a welcome sight for fantasy owners.

It looks as though Lynch is settling back into the Seahawks offense nicely, too. He should start getting back to the numbers that made him a coveted player on fantasy teams in years past. Keep starting him, and the points will come.

Thomas Rawls

Attempts	Yards	TDs	Targets	Receptions	Yards	TDs
6	32	0	2	2	9	0

A healthy Lynch is bad news for his backup. Rawls was the flavor of the week after a 103-yard effort against the Chicago Bears in Week 3 and made some fantasy owners look like geniuses when he went for 169 yards and a touchdown two weeks later.

He had just one attempt upon Lynch's return in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers and wasn't getting many more touches Thursday. 

Barring another injury to Lynch, it might be time to give up on Rawls for your fantasy team. He is unlikely to receive the lion's share of the carries anytime soon. Trying to claw their way back up the standings in the NFC West, the Seahawks need their leading men to will them back. 

Rawls is unlikely to factor into the formula, aside from the occasional carry to keep Lynch fresh. That won't be enough to earn a ton of fantasy points, though. Fantasy owners would be better off without Rawls taking up space on their rosters.

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.