Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The Seahawks have made Chris Carson a late scratch for Thursday night’s game against the Rams. Seattle’s longtime starter is battling a neck injury that kept him out of practice this week.

Carson split time with veteran backup Alex Collins against the 49ers. Collins, on his second stint with the Seahawks, would stand to be the team’s top ball-carrying option tonight. Rashaad Penny is on IR.

A two-time 1,100-yard rusher, Carson has defied the odds and become a steady starter out of the seventh round. The Seahawks re-signed him this offseason, giving the Oklahoma State product a two-year, $10.4M deal. With Penny having not panned out as Carson’s successor, the Seahawks moved forward with their late-round success story. But he has run into injury trouble as a pro.

An ACL tear ended Carson’s 2017 rookie season, and after he recovered to establish himself as Seattle’s full-time starter, he missed four games last season due to a foot injury. The Seahawks also have 2020 fourth-round pick Deejay Dallas and 2019 sixth-rounder Travis Homer on their active roster along with Collins.

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