Rashaad Penny or Travis Homer: Who Will Lead Seahawks Backfield if Kenneth Walker III Misses Week 1?
By Peter Dewey
The Seattle Seahawks have a lot of questions on offense entering the 2022 season, even after Geno Smith was named the team’s starting quarterback.
Not only should Seahawks fans and bettors be wary of trusting Smith, who appeared in four games for Seattle last season, but Seattle’s running game is also in flux entering Week 1.
Veteran running back Chris Carson retired prior to the 2022 season, leaving Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer, DeeJay Dallas and rookie Kenneth Walker III in the running back room for Seattle.
Penny finished the 2021 season strong, rushing for 706 yards on 102 carries over his last six games, but the team’s decision to draft Walker, who had a monster season at Michigan State in 2021, seemed to signal more of a timeshare in 2022.
However, Walker’s status for Week 1 is in question, as he’s dealing with a hernia. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was noncommittal on the rookie suiting up for the team’s Monday Night Football matchup against the Denver Broncos.
Status alert: Kenneth Walker (hernia) remains uncertain for Week 1, per coach Carroll.
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) September 5, 2022
“He was working some today. He’s running and he’s catching some balls and doing stuff. We’ll see what happens. This is an injury that’s kind of unpredictable in the recovery.”
While FanDuel Sportsbook has yet to release rushing props for Seattle with Walker’s status in questions we do have some anytime touchdown scorer props to use to help make a decision on which back to trust.
Seattle Seahawks Running Back Touchdown Props in Week 1
- Rashaad Penny: +145
- Kenneth Walker III: +290
- DeeJay Dallas: +550
- Travis Homer: +550
Rashaad Penny Should Dominate Carries if Kenneth Walker is Out
There’s no doubt that Penny is a talented runner, the question for him is whether he can stay healthy for a full NFL season.
To end 2021, Penny was one of the best running backs in the league, averaging 6.92 yards per carry and posting four games with 135 or more rushing yards in his last six outings.
So yes, Penny is probably the back to trust if Walker is out, but he is likely going to be limited to rushing volume. Last season, Penny saw just eight total targets in the passing game, catching six of them for 48 yards.
The Broncos are favored by 6.5 points in Week 1, so if the Seahawks fall behind, Penny’s role may be diminished if Seattle has to go to a pass-heavy attack in the second half.
Travis Homer or DeeJay Dallas: Who Will Benefit if Walker is Out?
Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas both played roles in the passing game last season, with Dallas receiving 23 targets and Homer reeling in 16 of his 20 targets in 2021.
Right now, Seattle lists Homer above Dallas on the depth chart, and he may be the first back in line for passing game work on Monday Night. Both players are tricky to trust in any props, especially since their touchdown props are only at +550 for a team with a bad offense.
If you’re going to roll with anyone as a prop play or in fantasy, Penny is the best bet, especially if Walker misses Week 1.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.