The Seattle Seahawks will get a much-needed boost Sunday against unbeaten Carolina, as star running back Marshawn Lynch will return from a hamstring injury.

All seven players declared inactive by the Seahawks for Sunday are on the defensive side of the ball, meaning Lynch will be back in the lineup for the first time since Week 3.

The Seahawks have split the two games without Lynch. They were lucky to win the first, getting a Calvin Johnson fumble and a missed batting call against the Detroit Lions, then blew a big lead in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to Cincinnati.

However, thanks to Thomas Rawls, an undrafted free agent who played college football at Michigan and Central Michigan, the running game hasn't been the Seahawks' biggest problem. Since replacing Lynch on Sept. 27 against the Bears, he has averaged 19 carries for 107 yards, including 169 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Bengals.

Lynch signed a two-year, $24 million contract extension in March, and had only missed one game in the last five seasons.