Seahawks report cards for each running back in 2018

Seahawks running backs were really productive this year. Plus, the group overall is young and should be good for seasons to come.

The Seahawks made it very clear they planned on getting back to a run-heavy offense in 2018. Seattle signed two guards, D.J. Fluker and J.R. Sweezy, who were normally better run blockers than pass protectors in their careers. And Seattle re-enforced their running backs by taking Rashaad Penny with their first round pick in the 2018 draft.

Penny was decent this season but not great. Part of the issue was that he wasn’t the best running back on the team. Seattle’s best back was Chris Carson. And Mike Davis was pretty good too. After Davis, Penny and Carson, though, there wasn’t much.

Seattle did lead the league in rushing this season. A lot of that can be credited to the ability of the running backs for getting yards after first contact. Seattle’s running back room was the best it has been in several years.

Here is how each running back graded for the Seahawks this season.

Chris Carson

Carson was mostly great all year. He finished fifth in the NFL in rushing. Carson led Seattle in rushing touchdowns with nine, which tied for seventh in the league. And unlike most backs Seattle has had for the last three seasons, Carson created yards when holes weren’t really there for him.

Penny might turn out to be pretty good. But Carson runs with the mentality that Pete Carroll wants his team to have. Carson should be the starter in Seattle until Penny can prove otherwise.

Season statistics: 247 carries, 1,151 yards, 4.7 yards per carry, 9 touchdowns, three total fumbles

Grade: A

Mike Davis

Seattle might as well say goodbye to Davis. Davis is a free agent this offseason and worthy of a bigger role that he simply will not get with the Seahawks. Many games Seattle brought Davis in late to simply not fumble and run out the clock and he did just that. But in games where he got to start, Davis rushed for 101 yards in week four and 58 yards on just 11 carries in week 10. Davis also can catch as he had 34 receptions for 214 yards this season.

Season statistics: 112 carries, 514 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, 5 total touchdowns

Grade: B+

Rashaad Penny

Penny got the fewest carries of the big three rushers in Seattle. He probably would have gotten more but was banged up at times. Penny started the year with a toe injury and then missed weeks 15 and 16 with a knee issue. To be a long-term starter in the NFL, Penny will need to show he can stay healthy and productive. Still, Penny had flashes of what he could be and ran for over 100 yards in week 10 against the Rams.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1063245776917164033

Season statistics: 85 carries, 419 yards, 4.9 yards per carry, 2 touchdowns

Grade: C+

The others

J.D. McKissic was injured most of the season after a somewhat promising 2017. McKissic played in just five games and had just three carries for 8 yards. With Davis most likely gone in 2019, McKissic might take on a slightly bigger role.

C.J. Prosise is probably a great guy. But he no longer needs to be playing for the Seahawks. Prosise managed to only hurt Seattle’s rushing statistics this season with one carry for -3 yards. He did catch three passes, however. This is amazing when one thinks about it because it meant Prosise was somehow healthy and playing. Interpol is still looking into how that could possibly happen.

Grade for other backs: F