49ers vs. Seahawks: 5 players to watch in Week 17 NFC West showdown

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Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Fred Warner vs. Marshawn Lynch

In case you missed it from the approximate 13 billion social media posts by Seahawks fans wanting to relive the glory days, running back Marshawn Lynch is back.

It’s hard to tell how effective he will be, but he’s still a name to be respected.

Respected, but not feared.

Whether or not Lynch has lost a step remains to be seen, but he still should be a powerful player in the trenches and difficult to take down.

This is where linebacker Fred Warner comes in.

If Lynch is shut down, the Seahawks are forced to become totally reliant on the pass. We just saw the Cardinals smother the Seattle offense when they reverted to this, so the 49ers defense has a chance to shut down the Seahawks.

For this to happen, Warner can’t miss any tackles or take a backwards step. Shut down the run and let the Seahawks take to the air.