Early ADP Deep Cuts: All Rashaad Penny Needs Is A Chance

When I covered handcuffs capable of torpedoing their teams’ depth charts, one name I though about including was Rashaad Penny of the Seahawks. Ultimately, I left him off because that was reserved for backs I expect to see some work regardless of the injury status of the RB(s) ahead of them. In Seattle, the show belongs to Chris Carson until/unless he gets hurt. Penny’s had a hard luck career thus far, but I just can’t stop getting excited for his prospects every season.

We’ve gotten very few glimpses of him on the field, but when Penny gets the chance he’s pretty electric. For his career – which is just 161 rushing attempts in three seasons – Penny has averaged 5.1 yards per carry and scored five rushing touchdowns. Of his five rushing touchdowns, four of them have come from 18 yards out or further, underscoring the explosiveness which made him a former first round pick. While Carson has emerged as one of the NFL’s best underdog stories, first round capital is rarely spent on a RB, and it’s even rarer to see them not get significant opportunity from the team that drafted them.

Seattle is a rare case, especially since they rely so heavily on the run game, but Carson has evolved into an All-Pro caliber RB. He has never made it through a full season unscathed, however, so Penny should have a chance at some point to break through and shine provided he can stay on the field himself. 2020 was a lost year, but 2019 was the season in which he threw a scare into Carson’s fantasy owners. He gained 370 yards on 65 carries (5.7 yards per attempt) and caught eight passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. He posted the second-highest RB DVOA among running backs with fewer than 100 rushes and posted 428 effective yards on the ground against 370 actual yards. Thanks, subpar Seattle O-line! His 115 DYAR (Defense Adjusted Yards Above Replacement) was 30 yards better than the next RBs on the under-100 carry list, Boston Scott and Rex Burkhead.

Penny was a first rounder who has battled injury throughout his career, and has become stuck behind an unexpectedly excellent veteran. He’s desperately in need of opportunity – and durability – but if he gets an extended chance, I have no doubt he’ll return value on an ADP of No. 160 overall. He’s pretty much the last RB of note off the board, as the next few RBs are Damien Williams, Anthony McFarland Jr., Jeff Wilson Jr. and Le’Veon Bell. Carson owners should absolutely snap him up, but he’s one of my favorite lottery tickets late in drafts.