Desperation time is setting in for the Seattle Seahawks, as they're just 2-4 and are already two games back in the NFC West standings. That could setup some interesting fantasy football matchups against the San Francisco 49ers, especially after this point spread moved from -4 at the open to -6 as of Tuesday night.
MARSHAWN LYNCH VS. CARLOS HYDE
You probably don't realize it, but "Beast Mode" hasn't had a single game with even 75 rushing yards this year. When he's been out there, he only has a total of 55 carries for 182 yards and a single touchdown, that of which came last week.
Lynch has never been a great receiver out of the backfield, and the fact that he has 10 catches this year is a lot. That said, he's only been worth an average of 8.0 fantasy points per game, and that isn't going to win a matchup against a man like Hyde in all likelihood.
Scoring on this Seattle defense isn't easy to do, particularly for running backs. Most of the damage against this 'D' has been in comebacks (more on that in a moment), and in fact, the first two rushing touchdowns of the season scored against the Seahawks came last week against Carolina.
Hyde though, is the best option from down on the goal line the San Fran has. You'd like to think that one touchdown would get the job done for Hyde, particularly if he is an underdog to Lynch as we would expect.
Thus far in 2015, Hyde is good for 13.2 fantasy points per game, and if he's getting points at all against Lynch, we'd suggest going with him.
RUSSELL WILSON VS. COLIN KAEPERNICK PASSING YARDS PROPS
Common logic would suggest that Wilson should have more passing yards than Kaepernick in this game, particularly with the way Lynch is struggling to bust off big time runs.
The best way to get a passing game going for the Seahawks is to get Wilson outside of the pocket and let him improvise just a bit. He has hit Jimmy Graham down the field a couple times on scramble drills, and that might be the biggest threat against the Niners in this game. Furthermore, you never know when guys like Tyler Lockett or Ricardo Lockette are going to get loose in the secondary for a deep one.
That said, once again, we prefer backing the 49er in this battle.
Some of this is about Colin Kaepernick. He threw for 340 yards last week against Baltimore and now has a pair of 300+ yard games. Many will remember that 67-yard stinker against the Cardinals, but the Seattle secondary, as well as it has the potential to play, isn't the Arizona secondary at this point.
However, what we really like about this matchup is just the way it feels like this game is going to go. The Seahawks have had problems at safety, a lot of which is due to the fact that Kam Chancellor held out through the offseason, the preseason and the beginning of the regular season and hasn't had a lot of work with Earl Thomas of late.
Furthermore, even if you're a believer that the Seahawks are going to take a big lead in this game – and why shouldn't you based upon the fact that they've led in the fourth in all six games they've played this year – Kaepernick will be forced to throw it a bunch. He doesn't have fantastic receivers, but neither does Carolina, and Cam Newton still threw for 269 yards in that upset.
BookMaker opened the spread for this Thursday soiree at -4 in favor of the Seattle Seahawks. The NFL odds total surfaced at 41. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers is scheduled for Thursday, October 23, 2015, at 8:30 p.m. ET at Levi's Stadium. The game will be broadcast regionally on CBS and the NFL Network.
