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The Seattle Seahawks are on the tips of the tongues of many football and fantasy football experts this preseason. Seattle has suddenly become one of the August darlings of pigskin pundits and prognosticators.
Many people believe the Seahawks have more talent than any team in the NFC West, including the loaded San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks are brimming with game-breakers at the skilled positions, and that is why they are making fantasy footballers salivate like a sweet tooth at a cotton candy convention.
With the eyes of the fantasy football world on them, who will be the breakout, the bust, and the lock for the Seattle Seahawks in 2023? Here is my take!
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Breakout - Zach Charbonnet (RB)
I love Kenneth Walker III. He was a major fantasy force for my fantasy teams last year and should be ranked as a top-10 to top-15 fantasy running back heading into the upcoming season. He has breakaway speed, a nose for the end zone, and three-down ability since he can catch passes out of the backfield. However, we know something about Seattle Seahawks running backs, they never stay healthy.
Walker III has been banged up the whole preseason with a core injury and had minor issues that hampered him during his rookie campaign last year. The well-documented injury issues of Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson in prior seasons cement the fact that the No. 2 RB in Seattle’s system can end up being the No. 1 RB quicker than you can say “One frozen latte, please!” at one of the area’s coffee shops.
Zach Charbonnet is a downhill runner who can barrel between the tackles and could supplant Walker inside the red zone after running for 27 touchdowns over his final two college years at UCLA. He was not drafted in the second round this past April to sit on the sidelines while DeeJay Dallas gives Walker breathers.
Charbonnet will begin the season as the RB1-A to Walker RB1, but during the season it could become an even split of time and touches. Before the end, Charbonnet could become a 1,000-yard rusher with 10 TDs. Only time will tell but he is my odds-on favorite to be the breakout star on Seattle’s offense in 2023.
Bust - Tyler Lockett (WR)
Tyler Lockett has quietly been money in the bank for fantasy managers over the past several seasons. The guy has racked up four straight 1,000-yard years and has averaged nine touchdowns per season since 2018. Lockett has also been Brett Favre-like with his durability, missing only two games throughout his eight-year career. While he has never been the showstopper other receivers have been in recent years, there is no denying that Lockett has been an underrated fantasy force.
Lockett is due for a comedown in fantasy production, however. He will turn 31 in September and only averaged 12.3 yards per catch and had no receptions of over 40 yards in 2022. When Seattle drafted phenom Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round, that was a worry more for Lockett lovers than DK Metcalf fans because Smith-Njigba is on the smaller side and has a similar body type to Lockett. There is more of a chance that Lockett’s targets and scoring opportunities could be affected than Metcalf’s since the latter is a big-bodied, red-zone receiver.
I could make just as solid of an argument that Lockett will have another 1,000-yard campaign with eight touchdowns because the Seahawks' offense is stacked. However, I believe the time has come and the stars are aligned for a subpar season. Out of Seattle’s star skilled-position players, he is my pick to be the bust of the bunch.
Lock - DK Metcalf (WR)
Metcalf has been Seattle’s deep threat and perimeter presence since being drafted in 2019 and has been a consistent fantasy superstar. He has not missed a game in four seasons and has averaged 76 receptions, 1,054 receiving yards, and 8.5 touchdowns per year in the NFL. In 2022 he set new career-highs in catches and targets, although the six touchdowns he scored were a career-low.
While the aforementioned Smith-Njigba will affect Lockett’s output on the inside, the ramped-up rookie will probably not do much damage to Metcalf’s fantasy numbers. Metcalf will continue to be the first guy Geno Smith looks for inside the red zone. While Smith-Njigba will see some 40-yard passes downfield, Metcalf is still the team’s top playmaker until proven otherwise.
With Lockett and Smith-Njigba keeping secondaries from double-covering him. With Seattle’s strong running attack keeping safeties close to the line of scrimmage, everything lines up for the 25-year-old Metcalf to have another outstanding season. It could the best of his professional career if he can get his touchdown total back to where it was in other years while maintaining his lofty reception and yardage numbers. Draft Metcalf as a WR1 and you should not be disappointed.
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