What to do with Chris Carson in Week 5 fantasy football

Game status: Carson is officially INACTIVE. Alex Collins will get the start in his place and DeeJay Dallas is likely to see some work as well in Thursday Night Football.

UPDATE — Chris Carson is dealing with a neck injury that held him out of practice Wednesday. Carson is listed as questionable for TNF vs. the Rams. If Carson is sidelined, Alex Collins figures to get a lot of work.

With an upset of an NFC West rival barely in the rear-view mirror, the Seattle Seahawks return home to host the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. The winner of the matchup will have a firm hold on second place in the division with a chance to challenge the current leaders, the Arizona Cardinals, in the near future.

Fantasy Football analysis: Seahawks RB Chris Carson

Last Sunday, Carson couldn’t seem to get much of anything going against the San Francisco 49ers defense. The veteran running back produced just 30 yards on 13 carries and remains virtually absent from the Seahawks’ passing game. Meanwhile, backup Alex Collins saw a similar number of touches (12) and turned them into 78 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.

Even so, Carson’s off day stands in stark contrast with his other outings this season. He remains the lead back in an offense that still leans on the ground game more than most (though it has grown more pass-heavy under new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron). And with the 49ers defense off to a slow start against opposing running backs, Carson has a good chance to bounce back on Thursday.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Start Chris Carson as an RB2 if he’s able to play. Proceed with caution, however, since Carson would be a risk of re-injury.