Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls makes for a pretty good fill-in.
Here’s a list of Rawls’ accomplishments as a starter in place of Marshawn Lynch from Sunday’s win over the San Francisco 49ers.
His 209 rushing yards are the second-most by a Seahawks player in a single game, trailing only Shaun Alexander’s 266 in 2001 against the Raiders.
His 255 yards from scrimmage are the third-most in a game, trailing only Alexander’s 273 and Steve Largent, who had 261 in a game in 1987.
Rawls has averaged 143.8 scrimmage yards per game in four starts this season, the highest average in starts of any player in the NFL.
The 49ers basically dared Rawls to beat them, and he did. He rushed 16 times for 159 yards when there were six or fewer defenders in the box. He had 105 yards on 11 rushes when running to the left side, 10 rushes for 51 yards when running up the middle and nine carries for 53 yards when running to the right.
Rawls has three of the four 100-yard rushing games for the Seahawks this season. Lynch’s career high is 153 rushing yards. Rawls has two games this season in which he has bettered that, this one and his 169-yard game against the Bengals.
Not bad for a guy who wasn't even among the 18 running backs picked in the 2015 NFL draft, despite his having a pair of 200-yard rushing games in his final season at Central Michigan.
Yes, Rawls has done better: He rushed for 229 yards against Ohio and 270 against Northern Illinois in consecutive weeks last season.