Seahawks' Top Players to Target in Fantasy Football Drafts
The third season of the Russell Wilson-DK Metcalf partnership should reap plenty of rewards for fantasy football managers who choose the Seattle Seahawks duo.
Wilson has long been one of the top fantasy quarterbacks in the NFL because of his dual-threat ability.
The addition of Metcalf through the 2019 NFL draft added a more dynamic element to the Seattle offense. The NFC West side took full advantage of his speed and athleticism in 2019 and 2020.
The pair should receive the most fantasy focus on the Seahawks roster., but there are a few others who warrant mid-round selections because of the previous numbers earned in the Seattle offense.
The return of Chris Carson on a two-year contract should provide more balance, and Tyler Lockett is one of the best No. 2 wideouts in the league.
Carson's importance to the rushing facet of Seattle's offense probably gives him an edge over Lockett when it comes to ranking the team's top fantasy prospects.
Russell Wilson
Wilson produced his highest single-season passing yards total since 2016 in last year's campaign.
The Seattle quarterback comes into 2021 off back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons, and he should reach that level with an extra game on the NFL schedule.
Wilson went through an uptick in rushing production last season, when he had over 500 yards for the first time since 2017. On the ground, he found the end zone on a pair of occasions and totaled 513 yards on 83 carries.
The 32-year-old threw for a career best of 40 touchdowns, and he should touch that total again with Metcalf and Lockett running rampant through opposing defenses.
Wilson should reside in the top tier of fantasy quarterbacks because of the uptick in production he experienced last season.
He may not be the first or second signal-caller chosen, but a strong argument could be made for him to go third after Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.
DK Metcalf
Metcalf is one of a few wide receivers who must be chosen if available at the end of the first round or start of the second.
The third-year wideout should be one of the top choices in fantasy drafts once the premier running backs go off the board in the first few picks.
Metcalf surged high up the wide receiver rankings with a 900-yard rookie season and boosted his totals in his sophomore campaign. The Ole Miss product had 1,303 receiving yards from 83 receptions and found the end zone on 10 occasions in 2020.
The 23-year-old had a 64.3 catch percentage from his 129 targets and averaged 15.7 yards per reception. He had 29 more targets from 2020 compared to his rookie season.
Metcalf's totals should only increase in a 17-game season, and he could make a push for a 1,500-yard, 15-touchdown season if he shows the same improvement from Year 2 to Year 3.
Chris Carson
Carson is a 1,000-yard running back if he plays all 17 games.
In 2020, Seattle's top tailback experienced a sharp decline in production because he missed four games due to an injury. In the previous two seasons, he was well over the 1,000-yard mark and totaled 16 trips to the end zone.
Carson should be a valuable supporting piece to Wilson and Metcalf in the Seattle offense and to a premier running back on your fantasy roster.
The 26-year-old will likely be a target in the third or fourth round because of the decrease in production and the performances of other running backs from the 2020 season.
Where Carson holds an edge over some second-tier running backs is in the passing game. He brought in 37 of his 46 targets last season and had 37 receptions off 47 targets in 2019.
If the Butler product remains efficient in the aerial attack, he will have more value in PPR leagues compared to standard competitions.
A 1,000-yard rushing season combined with around 40 catches and 300 receiving yards would be a great season for Carson.
The top of the Seattle depth chart belongs to him, and he will be the first choice in the ground game. His position in that part of the offense makes him a slightly better option than Lockett, who could push for another 1,000-yard receiving campaign alongside Metcalf.
Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.