How Game Flow Affects Running Backs in Daily Fantasy Football

Back in Week 2 of 2014, I was super jacked for Marshawn Lynch to face the San Diego Chargers.

This was 10 days after Lynch had gashed the Green Bay Packers for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries, and he seemed destined to do it again. After all, that's just kind of what he did in those days.

I was jacked up after the game was done, too. Just not for the reasons I was hoping.

The Seahawks fell down in the first quarter, trailed the rest of the game, and completely abandoned the run. As a result, Lynch was saddled with a measley 6 carries for 36 yards. He did add 4 receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn't nearly the output I had been expecting. They had left my dude out to dry.

The ailment that bit Lynch is one that has been biting running backs and fantasy owners alike in the rump since the beginning of time: game flow.

With the Seahawks needing to make up ground fast, they were forced to hit the air. If Lynch hadn't picked up the receiving touchdown, I likely would have given up fantasy football to take up fantasy crochet (never fade Auntie Jan). Thankfully, that didn't happen, and we can just use Lynch's disappointing output as a way to learn about the importance of game flow when it comes to running backs.