(Editor’s update: Jackson is officially active, but he still presents only middling fantasy upside.)
Fred Jackson active for Seahawks, fantasy owners
We spent much of the week assuming the Seattle running back would be out with his ankle injury, but it looks like Jackson will play. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Despite reportedly suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 4, Seattle Seahawks running back Fred Jackson is expected to be active for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Seahawks will be without running back Marshawn Lynch for the game, leaving Jackson and Thomas Rawls as the team’s two options at running back.
Jackson has eight carries on the season for 47 yards, with seven receptions for 74 more. Quarterback Russell Wilson has been the team’s leading rusher, with 177 yards, while Rawls has 157. The absent Lynch has 128 rushing yards.
Fantasy impact: When it came out that Jackson had a high-ankle sprain, most assumed he’d be out for at least a few weeks. Instead, it appears Jackson will miss no games at all. That’s impressive, but given that Lynch is out for Sunday, the Seahawks might have merely decided Jackson is the closer of the two to being able to play. If Jackson and Lynch were both out for Sunday, the team would have only Rawls and undrafted free agent Rod Smith, who has no career touches, available at running back.
Jackson being active is impressive, but it’s hard to imagine him being very involved in the team’s offense, or very successful if he is. Avoid him in fantasy.
