Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer expects Penny to have a larger role in Seattle's game plan Sunday against the 49ers, Andy Patton of USA Today reports. "I expect that [Penny] will play well this weekend," Schottenheimer said. "Expect that we need to get the running game back going again and I think he'll be a big part of that."
Penny appeared to gain some momentum during his up-and-down rookie season in Weeks 10 and 11, when he logged a combined 20 totes for 154 yards (7.7 per carry) and a touchdown. The first-round pick saw his usage tumble the following week, however, as he logged just 10 offensive snaps and four carries in last Sunday's 30-27 win over the Seahawks, with both Chris Carson (32) and Mike Davis (18) outpacing him in terms of usage. Both Carson and Davis remain healthy heading into the weekend, but a home matchup against a 2-9 49ers squad that has struggled to slow the run this season could translate to a run-heavy game script that affords each of the top three options on the depth chart more work than usual. The Seahawks will add another back to the mix this week with J.D. McKissic (foot) returning from injured reserve, but he's likely more of a threat to Davis' duties on passing downs than Penny's role.