Running backs are like seasonal fruit. During certain months of the year, there is no better culinary temptation than delicious natural treats. A running back in their prime is much the same way. When a player has been in a league for a couple of years and is peaking at the right time (before the big contract), fans relish in the reality that their team picked a gem.

Unfortunately, running backs are also like seasonal fruit because when they go bad, there is really nothing to do with them but toss them aside. That is a bit brutal for the player, but the NFL is tough on running backs. That is why the players who find success at this position can be particularly special.

The Seattle Seahawks are still one of the younger teams in the NFL in terms of team history, so only diehard fans remember some of their running backs.

Here are the top five running backs of all time that have donned a Seattle uniform.  

Shaun Alexander

Stats with the Seahawks: 9,429 rushing yards, 100 TDs, eight seasons with Seattle

Shaun Alexander is the most accomplished Seahawks running back in terms of statistical prowess. His 2005 MVP season was incredibly dominant, and he finished his career with three Pro Bowl appearances. 

Unfortunately for Alexander, he experienced one of those spectacular declines that are sometimes common with big-time backs. After 2005 he was never the same, but he arguably remains the greatest running back in Seahawks history.   

Curt Warner

Stats with the Seahawks: 6,705 rushing yards, 55 TDs, seven seasons with Seattle

Before there was Kurt Warner, there was Curt Warner. In 1983, Warner exploded on the scene as he ran for 1,449 yards in his rookie season. He suffered a devastating injury in his second year, but he returned in 1985 and had a productive career.

Warner is not necessarily a name that is well known outside of Seattle, but he was the first big star in the backfield for a Seahawks team that had not experienced much success at that point in their history. 

Chris Warren

Stats with the Seahawks: 6,706 rushing yards, 44 TDs, eight seasons with Seattle

Warren was not the feature running back for the Seahawks when he came out of college, but in his third year he took over the backfield and went on to have four straight 1,000-yard seasons. 

Chris was another running back that will not be remembered by a lot of non-Seattle NFL fans, but he went to three Pro Bowls and had a great run in the early 1990s. 

Mack Strong

Stats with the Seahawks: 909 rushing yards, five TDs , 14 seasons with Seattle

It is not hard to argue that the fullback is sometimes an unsung hero on a football team.

When you talk about a guy like Mack Strong, you are not going to be touting a lot of stats. However, you have to tip your hat to a guy that essentially functions as a battering ram for 14 seasons. 

Strong set the table for several different tailbacks, and he was a sentimental fan favorite throughout his career. He was recognized late in his career, as he made two straight Pro Bowl appearances.  

Marshawn Lynch

Stats with the Seahawks (through four games in 2012): 2,200 rushing yards, 20 TDs, three seasons with Seattle

In terms of statistical accomplishments, putting Marshawn Lynch on this list may seem a bit premature.

However, Beast Mode has the potential to be a great one in the Pacific Northwest, and he arguably put together the greatest single run in Seahawks history when he ran over the entire New Orleans Saints defense in the 2010 playoffs.

Honorable Mentions

Ricky Watters

Stats with the Seahawks: 4,009 rushing yards, 22 TDs, four seasons with Seattle

Watters was not in Seattle for a long part of his career, but he was certainly successful in his four-year stint. 

John L. Williams

Stats with the Seahawks: 4,579 rushing yards, 17 TDs, eight seasons with Seattle

Williams was a very productive fullback that had a consistent career with Seattle. His tenure included two Pro Bowl appearances.