C.J. Prosise was one of three RBs selected by the Seahawks in the 2016 NFL Draft
Because of injuries to Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Rawls, the Seahawks gave DuJuan Harris 18 carries in a Week 14 game against Baltimore. He picked up 42 yards (fewer than Rawls had on six carries) and was cut before the Seahawks’ next game.
Now that Lynch has retired and Rawls is still recovering from his ankle injury, Pete Carroll and John Schneider may have thought back to that game when they decided to spend a third-round pick on Notre Dame running back C.J. Prosise and a fifth-round selection on Alex Collins of Arkansas.
Start preparing for your league now with our NFL Draft Simulator 
Prosise came to Notre Dame as a safety before switching to wide receiver and then finally to running back. He missed three games due to injuries but managed to rush for 1,032 yards on 156 carries with 11 touchdowns, plus 26 catches for 308 yards and a lone receiving score in 2015. His success despite a lack of experience at the position makes him an intriguing prospect.
On the other hand, Collins was one of the top running back recruits in the country in 2013 and went on to win SEC Freshman of the Year that season. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons with the Razorbacks. Herschel Walker and Darren McFadden are the only other SEC running backs to accomplish that. He rushed 271 times for 1,577 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2015.
Redraft Outlook
It’s tough to say how Seattle’s running back situation will play out at this point. The Seahawks were certainly going to add a running back in the draft, but spending three of their 10 picks at the position (they also added Clemson RB Zac Brooks in the seventh round) was a surprise. Only time will tell how it will play out. But, just for fun, let’s take a stab at it.
If all goes well in his recovery, Rawls will be given every opportunity to take over for Marshawn Lynch. In this scenario, Collins serves as Rawls’ handcuff since he’s more of a traditional every-down back. Carroll says he has “big plans” for Prosise, which likely means he’ll be taking over the third-down role once held by Robert Turbin and Fred Jackson, albeit with more receiving responsibilities given Prosise’s background.
Which means that, for this season, Prosise and Collins probably won’t have much value. Collins might be the top choice as Rawls’ handcuff, though even that isn’t certain because Christine Michael is still on the roster as well. Turbin and Jackson didn’t have much fantasy value in Seattle, so we shouldn’t expect too much out of Prosise at first. He is, however, a more dynamic athlete and could force himself into the lineup if he makes the most of his opportunities. He’s not worth drafting based on the history of his role, though.
Dynasty Outlook
Much like in redraft leagues, the long-term value of Prosise and Collins depends on what Rawls does when he’s the No. 1 running back from the beginning. If Rawls underperforms or continues to have injury problems, that opens the door for Collins. Target him if you have Rawls.
Prosise is more of an unknown since we don’t know for sure if he’s going to strictly be a situational player. He gets a bump in PPR leagues since he should be catching some passes.
Both are worth roster spots, though, due to the sheer volume of the Seahawks’ running game. They’ll each get their chances, and there’s no guarantee Rawls will be able to hold up over an entire season.
Ezekiel Elliott, Derrick Henry, Kenneth Dixon, Devontae Booker, and Jordan Howard have clearer paths to playing time, so they should be the first rookie running backs off the board. If they’re gone and you still need a running back, pull the trigger on Prosise or Collins. Just don’t expect much in 2016.
Derek Norton is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Derek, visit his archive, follow him on Twitter @mdereknorton, or visit his website, Sports Monocle.
