The Seattle Seahawks’ RB situation is extremely complicated for fantasy football managers entering Week 14. The trio of DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer, and Tony Jones Jr. are all waiver wire options this week with Kenneth Walker III suffering an ankle injury in Week 13.
Let’s take a look at the Seahawks’ backfield and whether any of the three stand out as a waiver wire option in Week 14.
DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer, or Tony Jones: Who Should You Add From the Waiver Wire?
There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the waiver wire credentials of Dallas, Homer, and Jones. Not least is that we do not know the full extent of Walker’s injury and whether he will even miss Week 14. After the game Sunday, head coach Pete Carroll described the injury as a “jammed” ankle and told reporters it was not a sprain.
In a radio interview on Monday, Carroll reiterated the injury was not a sprain but a “strain” in a particular part of Walker’s foot. He went on to say it was a usual injury and that the ankle was inflamed, requiring management going forward. However, he also added that there is a chance Walker could play this week against the Panthers.
Walker is not the only RB dealing with an injury, as both Homer and Dallas are likely to be on the injury report this week. Homer missed the game on Sunday after managing just one day’s limited practice last week. On Monday, Carroll said that Homer has a sprained knee and his absence at practice last week was about more than just coming down with an illness.
In terms of Dallas’ injury, Carroll said that the RB has “somewhat of a high ankle issue.” The head coach referred to Dallas as being “tough as nails” for being able to finish out the game Sunday despite the injury. However, Carroll did not provide a timeline and said that the team is still evaluating the injury.
Therefore, it would seem the only fully healthy RB on the 53-man roster for the Seahawks this week is Jones. The Seahawks also have Godwin Igwebuike and Darwin Thompson on their practice squad. That means we may not see the Seahawks trying out free agent RBs this week if they feel comfortable with the depth they have.
Seattle’s Confusing Backfield
Walker is the Seahawks’ leading ball carrier this year with 138 rushing attempts. Behind him is Rashaad Penny, who is likely out for the remainder of the regular season (57 rushing attempts). Then it is Dallas, who has 24 rushing attempts, including 10 this past Sunday. Homer is fourth with nine rushing attempts, and Jones has seven with the Seahawks.
Prior to missing the Week 13 game, Homer appeared to have been the second option behind Walker. He has played 56 snaps in the previous four games (compared to 16 for Dallas). However, Homer had just five rushing attempts, with his role trending more toward work in the passing game (seven targets).
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What is uncertain is whether Homer would be the lead back if Walker were absent or if he would remain in the passing-back role, with Dallas stepping up as the main rushing option. That is further complicated by Dallas’ injury, which could see him out for two to four weeks if he has a high ankle sprain.
The domino effect opens the door for Jones to play the lead back role, with Homer as the pass-catching back. However, at that point, the Seahawks may decide Homer is their lead back, with Jones playing in certain circumstances. Even without the injuries to Homer and Dallas, this backfield would be a confusing situation this week.
How Should Fantasy Managers Prioritize the Seahawks’ RBs on the Waiver Wire?
It is hard to highly value any of the three Seahawks options on the waiver wire this week. Firstly, we have no idea if Walker will even miss the game. He could be fully healthy by Sunday and resume his role as the lead back.
Secondly, we don’t know which backup options might play this week and how they’d be used. Finally, the Seahawks’ run game has been reasonably stagnant in recent weeks.
Since rushing for 213 yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers in Week 7, they have topped 100 rushing yards just once. In two of those five games, they have averaged under three rushing yards per attempt. In a third, they managed just 3.5 rushing yards per attempt. The fact he has found the end zone five times in that period has been a somewhat saving grace for Walker’s fantasy value.
All of this makes it close to impossible to target this position with any conviction. While there are other messy situations on the waiver wire this week — like the New York Jets and Los Angeles Rams — they are only a debate between two backs, not as many as four. Therefore, all three of these Seahawks sit below James Cook, Zonovan Knight, Ty Johnson, Jerick McKinnon, Cam Akers, and Kyren Williams on the waiver wire.
If you are in a position where you feel you need to look at this backfield, Homer is the priority for me, especially in PPR. Dallas is next, and then Jones is the final option. If you have a FAAB system (or waiver priority), I may put in a 1-2% bid on Homer, but Dallas’ injury situation means he is a $0 player, and so is Jones.
If you are playing in Underdog Fantasy Best Ball leagues, this is a backfield you might want to avoid completely. Walker is the only back that could provide a significant output if healthy. If we find out that Dallas is out and Walker might miss the game, Jones could be an intriguing last-round pick in case he finds his way into some goal-line opportunities.