The NFL offseason is a time for fans of every team to be hopeful. Whether your favorite team has a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft, plenty of money to spend in free agency or simply coming off being in playoff contention, there’s plenty to be hopeful for as your team builds toward the future. Not so much for the Seattle Seahawks.
The departure of Russell Wilson, the retirement of Chris Carson, and longtime linebacker Bobby Wagner’s release has made it enormously clear that the team is headed for a rebuild. However, not all is bleak for the 12thMan!
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Noah Fant, who was acquired in the Wilson trade, is an excellent weapon to pair with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, the latter is also locked in with Seattle after signing a three-year $72 million extension.
Former first round pick Rashaad Penny is now primed to finally live up to his potential after breaking out late in the 2021 NFL season. Finally, head coach Pete Carroll is still at the helm, providing some much needed stability to the transitioning franchise.
So while it’s unlikely that the Seattle Seahawks will be in playoff contention this year, they absolutely have enough talent to get you into the fantasy playoffs in your league. So let’s take a look at some of the players who will help get you there.
Leave Your Draft With This Player
DK Metcalf, WR
Admittedly this might seem like the obvious answer but with Drew Lock poised to take over as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback, both Metcalf and Tyler Lockett could see a slide in fantasy drafts. However, this might not be the smartest move for fantasy managers. Let’s take a look at receivers like Brandin Cooks, Diontae Johnson, DJ Moore, and Michael Pittman Jr. All of these receivers finished in the top-20 among receivers despite some iffy-at-best quarterback play. The reason for that is simple: despite their quarterbacks being questionable, they still need to throw the ball to someone.
As someone who had Metcalf on my team last season, I understand the weariness of his effectiveness given his stretch from Weeks 10-15 where he never eclipsed 10 fantasy points. However, people are quick to forget that before that, he scored over 10 fantasy points in six of the first eight weeks of the season. Not to mention in four of those games, he went for 15 fantasy points or higher.
Metcalf is certainly a risky proposition, as is Lockett, but if you find that he’s slipping in the draft, he’s well worth the risk. Metcalf may not be able to put up WR1 numbers but the potential for that is still there and his sheer target volume certainly keeps him in high WR2 territory. This is prime territory to take advantage of a very negative offseason for the team even if it doesn’t affect Metcalf all too much.
Potential Breakout Player
Rashaad Penny, RB
If there was a late breakout player award, Penny would be an absolute shoe-in for it. The former first-round pick out of San Diego State has long been written off as a bust but without warning, he exploded back onto the scene with a 137 yard and two touchdown performance against the Houston Texans in Week 14 last season. After that, he put up at least 19 fantasy points in three of the next four games until the end of the season.
The Seahawks backfield was a giant question mark heading into this season but the picture became a little more clear with the unfortunate early retirement of Chris Carson, who left the game due to a neck injury. While rookie Kenneth Walker III will likely eat into his carry numbers, a two-back system is not rare among the league. Top running backs last season such as Austin Ekeler, Joe Mixon, James Conner and Nick Chubb all had to deal with top-end backups nipping at their heels all season long. As long as the Seahawks system can properly utilize both backs, Penny has high-end potential for a breakout season.
Penny will likely be drafted in most leagues, probably in the later rounds, so it’s smart to not target him until the back end of your draft. However, if there are other running backs on the board like Breece Hall, Tony Pollard, or Ronald Jones, Penny is the most promising of all these options. He’s a player that will more than likely receive starting running back volume in both carries and targets but will be drafted as a mid-tier RB2 or even a FLEX option. Prime sleeper value.
Bold Prediction
D’Wayne Eskridge Will Be A Prime Breakout Candidate
The battle for the third receiver behind Lockett and Metcalf is wide open for the Seahawks heading into the season. Currently the top candidates are Eskridge, a former second-round pick out of Western Michigan in 2021, Marquise Goodwin and Freddie Swain. While Goodwin is certainly competition to keep an eye on, the Seahawks will likely want to make sure they get the most out of everything they’ve invested in Eskridge.
If he were to win the role, Lockett and Metcalf both will take targets away from him but slot receivers are always worthy of fantasy consideration. It’s also worth noting that while Lockett and Metcalf are both worth fantasy investment, their consistency is a legitimate concern. The reason for that is Drew Lock and Geno Smith (if he wins the job) are both likely to rely more on their tight ends and immediate options in the slot.
Eskridge could be a breakout candidate in an offense that will certainly be passing the ball many times to keep up with a lacking defensive side of the ball in Seattle. While Eskridge is almost a certain guarantee to go undrafted, keeping a close eye on him as the season progresses, injuries occur and depth is needed is certainly a smart move.
