Not only do the Seahawks have a new boss in town, they also made a bunch of changes to their personnel at offensive skill positions, which makes predicting touches that much trickier. Pete Carroll has himself a solid trio of running backs and a ton of depth at wide receiver. John Carlson should be more of a fantasy asset at tight end in 2010, while the quarterback situation will be one to watch after the addition of Charlie Whitehurst.

New Seahawks Running Back Leon Washington is a sleeper in PPR formats if he can recover from a devastating 2009 injury.

QB: Matt Hasselbeck : 261-of-435, 2796 yards, 16 TD, 14 INT, 38 carries, 152 yards – Hasselbeck is projected to be the opening day starter, but his career is winding down and the team paid a lot to bring Charlie Whitehurst to town. For now, I’m projecting that 80% of the snaps go to Hasselbeck.

RB: LenDale White : 178 carries , 658 yards, 6 TD, 27 targets, 16 receptions, 80 yards – The Seahawks running back situation is one to keep an eye on. The indication so far is that White will be the main man, but a huge factor in determining his fantasy impact will be the amount of playing time for Justin Forsett. Regardless, White should see most of the carries near the goal line, which makes the most valuable of the 3 backs.

RB: Justin Forsett : 119 carries , 569 yards , 3 TD , 22 targets , 15 receptions, 123 yards – Forsett was outstanding for this team in 2010 and would be a borderline RB1 in 2010 if not for the additions of White and Leon Washington. It is unlikely that Carroll completely ignores Forsett, but it seems that he will be nothing more than a part-time back going forward.

RB: Leon Washington : 72 carries, 324 yards, 3 TD, 54 targets, 39 receptions, 312 yards, 1 TD – Washington’s health is still a major concern, but if he returns to the lineup, he will be a playmaker for this team on third down. He won’t have a ton of value in standard scoring leagues, but has sleeper value in PPR formats.

WR: TJ Houshmandzadeh : 120 targets, 70 receptions, 810 yards , 4 TD : Houshmandzadeh is likely to be underrated in drafts this season considering an underwhelming 2009 campaign, but he’s still a borderline top 30 option at wide receiver. The Seahawks offense should be better than last year and they’ll still be playing from behind for the most part. “Housh” is the WR1 and will see plenty of looks each week.

WR: Golden Tate : 87 targets, 50 receptions, 644 yards, 3 TD : There are big expectations for Tate in his rookie season. He will see plenty of targets and certainly has a shot to be the top scoring rookie WR.

WR: Deion Branch : 76 targets, 42 receptions, 502 yards, 3 TD : Branch is expected back as the WR2, but Tate may end up stealing more and more of his targets as the season progresses. Still, Branch is a talented receiver and could have a respectable season if he stays healthy.

TE: John Carlson : 98 targets, 61 receptions, 694 yards, 6 TD : Carlson got off to a great start last season, but ended up spending most of the year blocking, resulting in a disappointing fantasy output. 2010 should be a bit different. The team added Chris Baker and Anthony McCoy to take on some of the blocking responsibilities so Carlson can be used more as a receiver – even lining up in the slot on occasion.

Runningbacks:

Sammy Morris – I talked about Morris’ return to the lineup last week and it’s worth expanding on with another game in the books. In week 13, Morris was looked at 11 times, which was only 3 fewer than what Maroney saw. This past Sunday, Maroney carried the ball 22 times and targeted an additional 3 times. Morris, meanwhile, carried it only 6 times and was looked at a total of 9 times. Kevin Faulk was also in the mix in week 14, racking up 13 of the team’s 47 RB looks. Although Maroney still appears to be unquestioned starter, don’t get too comfortable, especially considering Fred Taylor could be back any day now.

Advice: Morris should only be the lineups of desperate owners in very deep leagues. He’s worth holding as a handcuff to Maroney in standard leagues, but nothing more.

Shonn Greene – Greene was a hot add when Leon Washington went down for the season earlier this year, but the looks just aren’t coming for the rookie. Over the last five games, he’s been looked at 7, 4, 11, 11, and 6 times, respectively. Those aren’t big numbers, but they aren’t bad for a backup. Consider that the Jets are the league’s run heaviest team (at 59% run, they run it 7% more than the next closest team) and Greene is an injury to 31-year-old Thomas Jones away from seeing a majority of the 36 carries the team averages a game. Think about how valuable Ricky Williams is now that Ronnie Brown is out of his way in Miami. Same concept.

Advice: Unless you’re in a very shallow league, Greene should be on someone’s bench. Sure there are only 2-3 weeks left in the regular season, but if Jones goes down this week, Greene is a must-start the rest of the way.

Arian Foster – I talked about Foster a bit on Twitter ( @FDC_MikeClay ) last week as a player who could be called upon should Gary Kubiak turn his attention away from Chris Brown or Ryan Moats. Kubiak followed cue, providing Foster with a team-high 17 looks in the Texans’ week 14 game. Moats touched the ball 11 times and scored the team’s only rushing touchdown, while Brown carried the ball only 3 times. Foster managed only 34 yards on 14 carries, but did open some eyes with 54 receiving yards on 4 targets (4 catches).

Advice: If you’ve been shuffling your bench spots between Moats and Brown, Foster is someone to add to the mix. He’s worth a bench spot for now, but I wouldn’t feel overly confident with him in my lineup until we see what his role is going forward. Pay attention to what Gary Kubiak has to say this week. If he officially moves Foster ahead of Brown on the depth chart, he’s definitely worth a roster spot in most leagues and not the worst flex play in deeper formats.

Kenneth who? Rams backup RB Kenneth Darby would have significant fantasy value if Steven Jackson were to miss any time with an injury.

Kenneth Darby – At this point in the fantasy season, your bench should be mostly filled with handcuffs who would make a huge impact should the player in front of them go down with an injury. Enter Kenneth Darby, who is currently the backup RB to Steven Jackson. Darby is nothing spectacular on his own, but consider that Jackson leads the NFL in looks and touches and is responsible for 84% of the Rams’ rushing attempts this season. If he were to miss a week (he’s been on the injury report for weeks now), wouldn’t you want Darby on your side?

Advice: In all but the shallowest of leagues, Darby is a must own for Steven Jackson owners. In standard-to-deep leagues, he’s a player worth stashing on the bench if you have a spot.

Runningback Committees:

Chris Jennings/Jerome Harrison – I touched on this committee last week, but that was after a game that saw Harrison out-‘look’ Jennings 21-7 in week 13. It was a different story against the Steelers in week 14. Jennings carried the ball 20 times and scored once to account for all his looks. Harrison meanwhile carried it only 7 times for 9 yards and was targeted three times.

Advice: The Browns running game has been awful this season and this unlikely to change regardless of who is carrying the ball. Jennings and, to a lesser extent, Harrison are worth consideration in deep leagues, but you don’t want to be starting either one of them.

Maurice Morris / Aaron Brown – Kevin Smith is out for the season, which means Maurice Morris and rookie Aaron Brown (likely in that order) take over. Smith is currently ninth in the entire NFL in looks, which means there are plenty to go around. Morris has carried it 42 times this season, which is the 2nd most on the team, and has been targeted 19 times. Comparatively, Brown has 21 carries and 11 targets to his name.

Advice: Morris has been battling injuries and it’s worth considering that the team could give the rookie Brown a shot to handle the majority of the looks, but until we hear or see otherwise, Morris is the player you want to claim on the waiver wire in all formats. Brown is worth a pickup for your bench in deeper leagues.

Brandon Jacobs / Ahmad Bradshaw – It should be surprising to see Jacobs name here considering that he is owned in all leagues, but this is more about Bradshaw, who needs to be considered in more. Very quietly, he has taken on a bigger load and has basically split the workload 50/50 with Jacobs over the last month. In the last four games that both players were active, Jacobs has 51 carries for 205 yards and 3 TDs. He’s caught 5 of his 7 targets for 97 yards and a score. Meanwhile, Bradshaw carried it 47 times for 175 yards and 1 score. He was targeted 10 times and caught 7 for 73 yards. Clearly, Jacobs has been more of a fantasy asset thanks to the 3 additional TDs, but he’s done it on only 1 more look than Bradshaw.

Advice: Jacobs is still a must-start in all 12-team formats, but his value isn’t quite where it was a year ago. Bradshaw isn’t the worst flex option in 12-team leagues, but you shouldn’t feel too comfortable with him in there. He’s definitely worth considering in deeper leagues.

Julius Jones / Justin Forsett – After Jones saw 17 more looks than Forsett in week 13 (25-to-8), it seemed that the veteran had earned his job back as the feature back. That was not the case in week 14 as Jones was looked at only 12 times, while Forsett touched the ball 13 times. Jones had one more carry and was more effective in the ground game than Forsett, but Forsett racked up 47 receiving yards on 4 targets (4 receptions), while Jones managed only 1 reception on 2 targets for 4 yards.

Advice: There is no telling who will see more of the looks in week 15 and beyond, but the most likely scenario is that they will split the workload down the middle. Neither should be treated as anything more than a flex play in 12-team leagues, but both should be considered in 16 team leagues.

Wide Receivers:

Greg Camarillo – Camarillo’s production has been extremely inconsistent all season long and the constant rotation between him, Ginn, Bess, and Hartline does not make things any easier to predict. That said, Henne has looked his way 17 times over the last 2 weeks, which grabbed my attention and it should have yours as well if you’re scraping for WR help in deeper leagues. 10 of those looks did come in week 13 when the team threw the ball an unorthodox 52 times (37 was their previous high on the season), but he was then targeted on 7 of the team’s 29 pass attempts in week 14, which was a team high. He caught all 7 passes for 110 yards, which is a solid 18 point PPR effort.

Advice: Not the most reliable option, but Henne is throwing his way and this wouldn’t be the first time he made an impact in PPR leagues. The odds of him scoring are slim, but if you’re looking to fill that last WR slot in 12-team PPR leagues, Camarillo is likely one of the best options on your waiver wire.

Julian Edelman – Unlikely to make a significant impact as long as Wes Welker and Randy Moss are racking up the looks, but Sam Aiken was out with a shoulder injury in week 14 and the rookie Edelman returned from his own injury. He was targeted only once in the game, but it’s always worth keeping the Patriots WR3 on your radar.

Advice: Really only worth a bench spot in deeper leagues at this point, but should also be considered as a handcuff for Welker owners.

Pierre Garcon / Austin Collie – Did you know that Pierre Garcon has been targeted 90 times this season? That’s more than Marques Colston, Devin Hester, Davone Bess, and Roy Williams. In fact, over the last 6 games, Garcon has actually been targeted more than any other Colt, with 3 more than Reggie Wayne and 5 more than Dallas Clark. In that span, he saw 54 targets and caught 27 for 456 yards and 2 scores. Clark and Wayne have more receptions and touchdowns, but Garcon has significantly more yardage. 9 targets a game is hard to find and it’s especially impressive considering he is the team’s third option in the pass game. To a lesser extent, Collie is worth mentioning. He has a touchdown in each of the last 2 games and is up to 6 on the season. He’s averaging nearly 7 looks a game, which is a healthy dose, especially considering who is throwing the ball to him. I’ve seen him dropped in a few leagues and that shouldn’t be happening.

Advice: Both are must owns in 12-team leagues. Garcon should be starting for someone and Collie is at least worth a bench spot.

Jason Avant / Reggie Brown – Jeremy Maclin is out a week or two, which cements these two into larger roles for the next, well, week or two. Maclin was seeing between 6-9 targets each week and those need to be spread around. Maclin was out in week 12 and the two combined for only 6 looks. Avant by himself was averaging nearly that over the last 4 games. Most were disappointed with that effort and many people will be down on both of them going into week 15. You shouldn’t be, especially Avant. The Eagles ran only 52 offensive plays against the Giants, which is their 3rd lowest output of the season and ran the ball 5% more than they normally do.

Advice: The Eagles will pass the ball and they like to spread it around. DeSean Jackson and Brent Celek will get plenty of work, but there are still plenty of looks to go around. Expect 6-8 looks for Avant in week 15 and 3-5 for Brown.

Devin Aromashodu – Bless you! With 12 targets, 8 receptions, 76 yards, and a score in week 14, Aromashodu is sure to be a hot commodity on your league’s waiver wire for people desperately looking for WR help. Should you get into the mix? I say yes. Despite the fact that Devin Hester was inactive for the game, Cutler has campaigned for Aromashodu to see more work and the Bears are the 3rd pass heaviest team in the league. His stock will take a hit if Hester is active in week 15, but don’t be surprised if he is Cutler’s second, if not first, option.

Advice: If you’re looking for someone to take a chance on at WR in 12-team or deeper leagues, Aromashodu is your man. There is a lot of risk here, but the reward could be another game with double-digit looks.

Recommended by ‘The Fifth Down’ blog on the website of the New York Times.

Some player notes from around the NFL:

Quinton Ganther/Marcus Mason – Ganther and Mason appear to be rotating as the spell back in Washington while Rock Cartwright is the feature back. Neither has much value, especially considering Portis should return over the next few weeks.

Devin Thomas – Another Redskin who is seeing an increase in playing time, Thomas has been targeted 17 times over the last 3 games and is quietly taking over as the 2nd most productive WR in Washington. Keep an eye on him, but he is unlikely to be fantasy relevant this season.

Matt Moore – Moore is the new starting QB in Carolina with Delhomme gone to the bench. Considering Moore’s inexperience and the fact that Carolina is the 3rd run-heaviest team in the NFL, you shouldn’t expect him to be relied on much, which means he isn’t even worth a bench spot in most leagues.

Dante Rosario – 7 targets each of the last 2 weeks for the tight end, but he’s still sharing the tight end load with Jeff King and Gary Barnidge. Also consider that the team throws the ball very little and they are making a change at quarterback. He’s not worth your time.

Jermichael Finley – Fellow TE Donald Lee scored the only touchdown by a Packers’TE in week 12, but Finley was targeted more (6-to-4) and is averaging around 7 looks a game when healthy. The Packers offense is on a roll and Finley will be a big part of it down the stretch. Unless you have a top tight end, he’s someone to consider starting.

Kahlil Bell – Bell burst onto the scene when he put up 81 yards on 4 carries 2 weeks ago, but he carried it just once in week 12. His only value right now is as a handcuff to Matt Forte.

Justin Forsett – Forsett is now owned in most leagues, but consider that Julius Jones will be back at some point. It’s hard to say whether or not the team will give Jones his starting job back, but you have to imagine Forsett has earned a bigger share of the workload. Keep an eye on each player’s looks once Jones returns.

Sam Aiken – Aiken was actually the team’s leading receiver in week 12 with 10 targets, 7 catches, and 80 yards, but note that Julian Edelman was inactive and that Wes Welker and Randy Moss are both still on the roster. Aiken is unlikely to approach those numbers again this season, but will continue to have at least some value as the slot receiver in this pass heavy offense.

Lex Hilliard – 13 total looks over the last 2 games isn’t much, but consider that the only thing between him and the starting RB job on the league’s 2nd-run heaviest team is an injury to 32-year-old Ricky Williams.

Considering his situation, Lex Hilliard should be considered for a spot on your bench in most leagues.

Mike Thomas – Will continue to be overshadowed by Mike Sims-Walker and Torry Holt, but consider that he’s caught 83% of passes thrown his way (best in the NFL for WRs with 30+ targets) and is only a rookie. He’s seeing 5-6 looks most weeks and should be considered a sleeper to explode if he sees more action late this season.

Larry Johnson/Bernard Scott – Johnson put up 100 rushing yards in week 12 and Scott has over 200 rushing yards the last 2 weeks, but don’t kid yourself. When Cedric Benson is healthy and returns to action, he will a majority of the carries. At that point, you should expect only 3-6 carries a game for each, which means very little fantasy value.

Chris Jennings – Jerome Harrison was active in 12 after spending a few weeks as a health scratch so that Jennings could have a shot at the RB2 role. This bumped Jennings back to the RB3 role and it’s anyone’s guess what Mangini will do going forward. Regardless, Jennings is not a player you should be rostering.

UPDATE: (Wednesday Dec 2) – It appears that Jamal Lewis will be heading to IR, which means Jennings could now be the starter in Cleveland. Snatch him up before someone else does if you’re in a deep league or desperate for RB help.

Chris Chambers – Chambers is probably owned in your league, but it’s worth noting that he has caught 74% of the 23 balls thrown his direction since joining the Chiefs and has scored on almost 18% of those catches. Although the fact that he was targeted a total of only 9 times over his first 2 games in KC was a concern, Cassel has now thrown his way 14 times total over the last 2 games.

Malcom Floyd – The man who replaced Chambers as a starter in San Diego is not seeing the same success that Chambers is enjoying in Kansas City. Floyd is being targeted only 3-5 times a game and although he did put up 85 yards in week 12, it was on only 3 catches (4 targets). Floyd has potential in this potent offense, but right now he’s not seeing enough looks.

Darren McFadden/Justin Fargas/Michael Bush – The Raiders running back situation might be the hardest unit to dissect in the league. Fargas wasn’t even active early in the year when McFadden and Bush were carrying most of the workload, but now Fargas seems to be the top runner of the group (sounds a lot like 2008-09) having carried it a team-high 20 total times over the last 2 games. McFadden has been the better bet in PPR leagues, however, over the last 2 weeks, racking up 9 looks and 7 catches despite only 12 carries. Bush, meanwhile, has only 7 looks (all carries) over the last 2 weeks.

The Seattle Seahawks released Edgerrin James today after the experiment of using him as Julius Jones’ backup failed. Justin Forsett now moves up the depth chart to RB2 and should see an increased workload.

In other NFC West news, the 49ers cut WR Micheal Spurlock.

Over in the AFC, the Titans have signed WR Chris Davis.

Newly signed running back Edgerrin James adds depth to the Seahawks backfield.

Looking to add depth to a shallow backfield, the Seattle Seahawks have reportedly agreed to a one year contract with RB Edgerrin James. The former Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals running back will look to steal carries from starter Julius Jones and backups TJ Duckett and Justin Forsett.

Edit: The Seahawks have reportedly followed up this move by releasing RB T.J. Duckett. This means that Jones and James will likely split a majority of the carries, while Forsett will remain as the third option.

Complete Seattle Seahawks Fantasy Depth Chart