Fantasy football: 5 running backs you need to avoid in 2019

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SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 15: Rashaad Penny #20 of the Seattle Seahawks runs the ball passed Blake Martinez #50 of the Green Bay Packers in the first half at CenturyLink Field on November 15, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Rashaad Penny (ADP: 80)

Staying in the NFC West here, the Seattle Seahawks’ back Rashaad Penny is a running back I have not liked in the fantasy world ever since last year’s training camp, where Chris Carson was noticed clearly outplaying Penny and receiving the lion’s share of snaps, despite Penny’s first-round pedigree.

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I made sure to pick up Carson in the late rounds of all of my drafts, while watching league mates select Penny rounds earlier. And laughed all the way to the bank, as Carson ended up as the 14th best running back in fantasy and Penny the 59th.

Penny is being penciled in by some as a sleeper this season. Carson had minor knee surgery over the offseason. And after all, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has to utilize his 2018 first-round pick more, right?

Wrong. Carson ran like a top-10 running back last season. And Penny, while showing flashes, was unimpressive relative to Carson’s monster performance.

It remains to be seen how much the knee surgery will impact Carson, but the procedure was not described as major in any way, and does not sound like it will impact how the Seahawks’ run game will operate in 2019.

Unless Carson looks poor following his surgery, there is not much reason to think Penny will experience a vast improvement in his sophomore season and should continue to be avoided in fantasy leagues.