Over/Under on Rushing Yards for Marshawn Lynch in Week 17 Only Set at 29.5

• Marshawn Lynch will come out of retirement for a second time when he suits up for the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17
• Lynch is a slim -110 longshot to top 29.5 rushing yards in Sunday’s matchup with the San Francisco 49ers
• The 33-year-old averaged more than a touchdown per game on home turf during his final three years as a member of the Seahawks

After seeing their backfield decimated further by season-ending injuries to Chris Carson and CJ Prosise in last week’s 27-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the Seattle Seahawks have signed Marshawn Lynch to a one-year contract, and expect to have him in the lineup when they host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday as 3-point underdogs.

The loss of Carson and Prosise comes on the heels of a season-ending injury to Rashaad Penny just two weeks ago, and forced them to look outside the organization for reinforcements. But while Lynch remains a Super Bowl hero in Seattle, and holds an array of Seahawks franchise records, his long absence from the gridiron has tempered expectations of how he will perform in his return, with -130 odds favoring that the five-time Pro Bowl running back will not top 29.5 rushing yards in NFL specials betting in sportsbooks.

Marshawn Lynch Rushing Yards in Week 17

*Odds taken on Dec. 24, 2019

It has been over 14 months since Lynch last suited up for an NFL game, which came as a member of the Oakland Raiders in a 27-3 loss to the Seahawks at London’s Wembley Stadium in Week 6 of last season.

One of the few bright spots on an otherwise dismal Raiders squad, Lynch saw his season ended by a groin injury, and was not expected to return to the NFL.

BREAKING: Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch (groin) will miss at least a month https://t.co/3qZdx2yFOP pic.twitter.com/CRWIDxpYD1

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) October 19, 2018

Over the course of his 11 NFL seasons, Lynch has racked up 84 career touchdowns to go along with six seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards, and was on pace to do it again with the Raiders in 2018 before seeing his season come to an end.

With it remaining to be seen if Lynch is close to the game shape both his opponents and teammates will be in for this weekend’s season finale matchup, where the NFC West title is on the line, skepticism is understandable.

But after falling to defeat in each of the past two games in which they failed to score a rushing touchdown, the Seahawks are clearly prepared to bet their season on their former star.

Over the course of his 11 NFL seasons, Lynch has racked up 84 career touchdowns to go along with six seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards, and was on pace to do it again with the Raiders in 2018 before seeing his season come to an end

Lynch has previously demonstrated his ability to return from a lengthy injury. After being limited to just seven games by a sports hernia during the 2015 season, Lynch announced his retirement, and stepped away from the NFL for a year before returning to play in Oakland.

The 33-year-old quickly silenced the doubters, matching his average of 4.3 yards per carry, and piling up 59.4 yards per game in 15 appearances while rushing for seven scores.

Pick: OVER 29.5 (-110)

Odds Marshawn Lynch Scores a Touchdown in Week 17

Unlike now, Lynch enjoyed the benefit of a full training camp the first time he came out of retirement, and was an integral part of the Raiders rushing game. With just five days to prepare leading up to Sunday’s contest, expecting a similar level of conditioning and familiarity with the Seahawks book is a lot to ask.

The @Seahawks got Marshawn Lynch, but they don't have the odds. #SEAvsSF #Seahawks https://t.co/fjilhltHLt

— SportsBettingDime (@SBD) December 24, 2019

Lynch is not the only new arrival in the Seahawks backfield this week. Seattle has also inked Robert Turbin to a deal, setting the stage for his first gridiron since October of last year.

However, scoring in the big games was what Lynch did best during his time in Seattle, as evidenced by his 20 total touchdown runs in his past 19 games at CenturyLink Field as a member of the Seahawks.

And while the team is without Penny, Carson, and Prosise, a key element of their run game remains in the form of quarterback Russell Wilson, the man that set the table for all those scoring runs, and who has been key to Seattle’s third ranked rushing offense this season.

Of course, there are also the intangibles. There is no advanced metric for measuring the lift that Lynch’s return gives this battered team with the division title on the line, adding value to a wager on Beast Mode reaching the end zone in Sunday’s matchup.

Pick: Yes (+155)