Possible Marshawn Lynch Suspension has many Fantasy implications

You knew it was too good to be true. Marshawn Lynch’s arrest on suspicion of a DUI Saturday just screwed up the first two rounds of Fantasy drafts – and training camps haven’t even started yet. A possible Marshawn Lynch suspension just threw a wrench in our midsummer Fantasy plans.

I need a drink.

Now what do we do? This is not Lynch’s first brush with the law, and it won’t be the first time the NFL Commissioner will have to take some action because of his indiscretion. Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to take some action, which is likely a suspension for a few games, but it’s unclear on how long it will be – and what the Seahawks might do in response.

Marshawn Lynch Suspension Could Hurt Many

The NFL doesn’t always suspend a player that has been arrested – or even convicted – for a DUI, but Lynch’s case is a little special because he Goodell could see him as a repeat offender.

“And there’s a wide range of reactions Goodell could have. He could see Lynch as a repeat offender, given his previous three-game suspension because of a misdemeanor weapons conviction. Or the commissioner could focus on Lynch’s more recent history. Lynch has stayed out of trouble for 3 ½ years since the weapons incident and on Thursday he joined his cousin, 49ers quarterback Joshua Johnson, in awarding a scholarship to a Bay Area high-school student who was a gunshot victim.” – Seattle Times

While he hasn’t had a DUI before, he has had a hit-and-run situation in the past, as well as the gun charges a few years ago. And under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, you don’t necessarily have to be a repeat offender of the same offense to get a second suspension.

It’s obviously too soon to make any hard-and-fast decisions on what to do with Lynch. But some Fantasy owners are about to have their drafts this weekend or they’re about to make their keeper decisions, and a possible suspension already did some serious damage to Lynch’s previous top-10 RB status.

Lynch just signed a four-year, $31 million deal with the Seahawks this year, which could limit the Seahawks in their attempt to sign someone else, like Cedric Benson, to come in as his stand-in. His transgression certainly brings up many more questions.

• Is a four-game suspension on the horizon?
• Is four games the best his Fantasy owners can hope for?
• Will the NFL drag this out over the summer before making a decision?
• Who will see more action in his absence: Leon Washington or rookie Robert Turbin?

Marshawn Lynch’s Fantasy Ranking

The fact that Turbin will no doubt see more carries than many thought just one week ago makes him a more valuable rookie running back. I had him ranked 10th among the first-year running backs before this incident and have since moved Turbin up to the top five, just behind Ronnie Hillman and in front of Isaiah Pead.

Lynch, however, moved down into the top 30 overall players, and I’m bumping him out of the top 15 running backs (he had been 10th), ranking him 18th, just behind Doug Martin and in front of Jamaal Charles.

Washington enters the top 60 running backs, moving up to 56th, and Turbin climbs into the top 50 RBs, bumping out Mike Tolbert and Brandon Jacobs.

The guys at CBSSports.com place Lynch at an average ranking of 14th among running backs and 32nd overall.

And over at NFL.com, their running back rankings haven’t been updated as of Wednesday morning, but they did move Lynch down to 27th overall.

No matter what happens to Lynch, his Fantasy Football status has taken a big dip because of his latest judgment error. Fantasy owners are trying to assess just how big of a error in judgment they might make if they draft him.