RADIO
This article continues our team outlook series where we will break down each NFL team from a fantasy football perspective. We will cover the major changes on each roster from this off-season and project what the team will do in the upcoming year. Today we look at the Seattle Seahawks.
Known primarily for their defense, the Seahawks have been one of the NFL’s best teams since their Super Bowl win back in 2014. Although much of their success is due to players on the defensive side of the ball, quarterback Russell Wilson and company would like to remind you that they can put up some points on offense as well. While they did not make a ton of changes to their roster, the addition of running back Eddie Lacy certainly adds a wrinkle into the Seattle running game. While the addition of Lacy and the health of Thomas Rawls and CJ Prosise certainly makes the Seahawks more dangerous, the timeshare it creates makes them a risk to take on for fantasy.
We will get into that and more as we dive in position by position and look at the fantasy relevance for the Seattle Seahawks.
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Seattle Seahawks 2017 Outlook
Offseason Moves
Notable Acquisitions: RB Eddie Lacy, OL Luke Joeckel, DT Malik McDowell, WR Amara Darboh, K Blair Walsh
Notable Losses: RB Marshawn Lynch, OT Garry Gilliam, K Steven Hauschka
Quarterback
A lack of mobility caused by a nagging ankle injury cost Russell Wilson some precious yards on the ground last season, hurting his value. His rushing yards plummeted to 259, or 230 less than his lowest season output back in 2012. Still, he finished as a QB1 after throwing for a career-high 4219 yards. A healthy Wilson should put more yards on the ground up next season, and the addition of Eddie Lacy and healthy returns for C.J. Prosise and Tyler Lockett should give Wilson even more weapons to play around with heading into 2017-2018. The Seahawks have tried to shore up the offensive line, but it still looks like they may still have some challenges up front. Regardless, Wilson will have his legs under him yet again next season and that, coupled with some more weapons on the offensive side of the ball, makes him a rock solid QB1 heading into his sixth NFL season.
Running Backs
From the Beast mode days of Marshawn Lynch to the “Hulk Mode” days of new running back Eddie Lacy, the Seahawks have always had a strong running game. However, there is reason to be hesitant about the Seattle backfield in 2017, at least from a fantasy football perspective. For starters, despite adding free agent Luke Joeckel and drafting Ethan Pocic, the offensive line once again looks like it will be a weak spot for the Seahawks. Secondly, while Eddie Lacy is a big addition for the Seahawks, it looks like at best he will split primary ball-carrying duties with returner Thomas Rawls. With C.J. Prosise expected to take on a role as a pass-catching back, fantasy relevance may be hard to come by in this backfield. All three spent some time injured last season as well, so they each come with their own injury risk. Rawls is the guy to own in this backfield, but expecting anything more than fringe RB2 production from him seems like a stretch. Those in PPR formats will want to take a look at Prosise toward the end of drafts, but otherwise I wouldn’t take anyone in this backfield to start on my fantasy team.
Wide Receivers
Doug Baldwin is arguably the only name worth knowing in the Seahawks’ relatively thin receiving corp. Baldwin had a career year last year, hauling in 94 catches for 1128 yards and seven touchdowns. The touchdown total was a bit low, especially coming off the 14 he had in 2015, but his other numbers were all career highs and earned him a Pro-Bowl nod. Baldwin will once again be Wilson’s primary target, and should put up WR2 numbers yet again. He is a great target in PPR leagues, and should go in the 3rd or 4th round in most formats. Tyler Lockett, Paul Richardson, Jermaine Kearse and rookie Amara Darboh are next in line for Russell Wilson, but none of them possesses fantasy relevance outside of late-round flyers. If you are going to snag one, bank on Tyler Lockett and his big-play potential. Otherwise, Baldwin is the only real fantasy relevant wide receiver on the Seahawks.
Tight Ends
Jimmy Graham’s usage in Seattle has been a hot topic not just in fantasy football circles, but also around the NFL as a whole. Graham came over to Seattle two years ago and has seen inconsistent usage, which combined with a knee surgery in 2015 has really dampened his fantasy outlook. However, Graham did put up 923 yards and six touchdowns last season, placing him squarely in the top-tier of tight ends. Graham finished third among TE in yards, seventh in touchdowns and eighth in receptions. The primary concern with Graham (outside of injury) is that he is at the mercy of the unpredictable Seattle offense. Some weeks he will get nine targets, and sometimes he will go three weeks without getting more than three. So while Graham will likely end up as a top-five TE in fantasy by the end of the season, his inconsistency week in and week out makes him a riskier selection than some of the more consistent fantasy performers.
Kicker
The Seahawks let longtime kicker Steven Hauschka walk in free agency this offseason, choosing instead to bring in former Vikings kicker Blair Walsh. Walsh is coming off a down year, having only played in nine games last season and knocking down 12/16 field goals and only 15/19 extra points, a career low 78.9%. However, Walsh led the league in field goals made in 2012 and again in 2015, so last year may have just been a fluke. Kickers tend to all hold similar value, but it is wise to leave Walsh on the waiver wire to start the season. If he reverts back to his old self, he is definitely a top-10 kicker in the NFL.
Defense/Special Teams
The Legion of Boom is back for another season, and it looks like safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas will both be healthy heading into the season after nursing injuries last year. Combine them with outspoken cornerback Richard Sherman, All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, and Pro Bowlers Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril up front and you can see why the Seattle defense is usually the top performing defense in fantasy football. The Seahawks used the NFL draft to pick up some depth on the defensive side of the ball, drafting tackles Malik McDowell and Nazair Jones and four defensive backs in Shaquill Griffin, Delano Hill, Tedric Thompson and Mike Tyson. The depth possessed by this team on the defensive side of the ball is nearly unrivaled, and they are a great bet to finish as the No. 1 defense in fantasy yet again. It is rarely advisable to reach up a round for a defense, but the Seahawks should be one of the first ones off the board.
Overall Fantasy Outlook
The Seahawks will rely heavily on their defense to push them toward another NFC championship and hopeful Super Bowl nod, but there is still some fantasy potential on this team. Russell Wilson is primed to be a great fantasy quarterback, and Jimmy Graham has a real chance to be one of the three best TE in fantasy football. The running backs and the wide receivers leave a little to be desired, but all-in-all there is enough firepower on Pete Carroll’s squad to merit some fantasy consideration from top to bottom.
