DK Metcalf Trade Fallout

Quincy's dynasty fantasy football winners and losers from the DK Metcalf trade. Fantasy football outlook for DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and more.

What a start to the NFL offseason we have had. The normally quiet Seattle Seahawks have made several splash moves as they attempt to usher in a new era. The most notable of those moves was the decision to trade stud wide receiver DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

From the Seahawks' perspective, Metcalf wanted out. His trade request was made public earlier this week, and the Seahawks did not seem amenable to paying him what he wanted to remain in Seattle. Pittsburgh has been searching for a consistent No. 1 receiving option for years, and they finally have one in Metcalf.

The trade shakes up the outlook for both teams. With several moves ensuing as a result, we will feel the reverberations of this move for the next few years. Let's dive in and check out the fallout from this trade along with the fantasy football implications.

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Winners

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

A case can be made that Smith-Njigba benefitted from Metcalf's presence. That is likely true. However, JSN now has the entire receiving room to himself. The Seahawks will undoubtedly add someone, but the fact that they moved on from Metcalf is indicative of the confidence they have in Smith-Njigba.

JSN projects to be the Seahawks' next big-time wide receiver. His 100 catches for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns in 2024 were a bona fide breakout. Impressively, most of that production came over the second half of the season.

If you have JSN in dynasty, you should be elated for the 2025 season and beyond.

Seahawks' Cap Space

Say what you will about whether or not cap space is the be-all and end-all, but one could argue that the Steelers are overpaying for Metcalf. As part of the trade, Metcalf secured a five-year $150 million contract from Pittsburgh. That type of money squarely places Metcalf in the top five earners in the position.

Seattle may have considered the money Metcalf wanted and deemed him unworthy of such a contract. While Metcalf is highly talented, he has not always performed like an elite wide receiver. Since his breakout 1,303-yard season in 2020, Metcalf has not surpassed 1,114 yards. He has been good but not consistently great.

With the extra cap space, the Seahawks have already signed quarterback Sam Darnold and have their sights set on veteran wide receivers and their offensive line. Both of which are positions of significant need. However, the savings do not end in 2025 and the Seahawks will have extra money to spend on their offense for the next several years as a result of the trade.

Pittsburgh Steelers' Offense

No matter what, landing a 27-year-old wide receiver with the physical talent of Metcalf is going to improve your offense for years to come. This is a player who has never recorded less than 900 receiving yards in a season. He has also racked up 48 touchdowns over his six seasons in the league.

Metcalf is a true three-level wide receiver. He thrives on the outside with his one-on-one matchup-winning ability. Metcalf has an uncanny ability to break open and out-muscle defenders on contested footballs. He is a quarterback's dream with his combination of size and speed.

Paired with George Pickens, this could be a truly dynamic duo. It remains to be seen if the Steelers will hold onto Pickens, but it would behoove them to at least give this pairing a trial run in 2025.

Pittsburgh Steelers' Quarterback

While we await the announcement of the next Steelers quarterback, whoever it will be will have an embarrassment of riches around them. The race appears to be down to Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Wilson has significant familiarity with Metcalf from their days in Seattle. I can see the moon balls already.

Rodgers, has not been anything greater than average since the 2021 season. He has ranked in the 20s in total QBR over the last few seasons while struggling through declining mobility. Still, should the Steelers sign him, Rodgers would have a solid offensive line, weapons on the outside, and likely a solid running game. It *could* work and Metcalf won't hurt.

Losers

Sam Darnold

Darnold is the clear loser here. He is stepping into an offense that now only boasts wide receiver Smith-Njigba when a week ago, Tyler Lockett and Metcalf were in the fold. No quarterback is going to be better off without Metcalf than with him.

The Seahawks must have gone into these sweeping changes with a plan. They could be looking at the draft to upgrade their wide receiver room. With several quality interior offensive linemen still on the free agent market, the Seahawks will likely spend some of the cash they are saving in that arena.

This feels like a situation in which Darnold was sold on a plan. As a quarterback who very recently rehabilitated his career, it is hard to believe he would have gone anywhere without some comfort surrounding the makeup of the offense.

George Pickens

Pickens went from being the alpha to the No. 2 wide receiver in the blink of an eye. Rumors suggest that the Steelers may not be planning on holding onto Pickens long-term, given the cost associated with him following this season and his lack of consistency in his three-year career.

Should the Steelers move on from Pickens, it remains to be seen what a new situation would do for the walking highlight reel. Should he stay, Pickens will have to contend with an alpha for targets for several years. We have seen how heady Pickens can be, but perhaps head coach Mike Tomlin can keep Pickens under wraps. Either way, Pickens's future is cloudy.

Fantasy Implications

Seahawks

On the Seahawks' end, Smith-Njigba should see an other-worldly target share. There is no obvious path for the Seahawks to add a wide receiver who would challenge JSN for the No. 1 role. However, adding a solid No. 2 would open up more room for Smith-Njigba to operate. Expect a big third year from the young receiver.

The Seahawks' offense as a whole is incomplete. The running backs figure to rotate in a way that might not make either one playable in fantasy. Outside of JSN, no one in the passing offense is an obvious fantasy option at the moment. That includes Darnold at quarterback.

With a couple more additions, the Seahawks' passing offense could become far more intriguing. We will need to wait and see how this plays out before delivering our final verdict.

Steelers

Metcalf is unlikely to see an uptick in fantasy production with his move to Pittsburgh. He is not experiencing an upgrade at quarterback, and he is entering a scheme predicated on running the ball. Metcalf is likely to find himself in the WR2 conversation this season. However, if Pickens is not on the team in 2025, there is a path to WR1 production from Metcalf as a simple necessity.

Pickens's fantasy production is likely to stay somewhat in line with what it has been, at least in 2025. He was not producing like a high-end wide receiver anyways. Metcalf's presence could open up more big plays for Pickens which could create more boom games. However, his consistency (or lack there of) should remain the same.

Additionally, should Wilson end up as the Steelers' quarterback, he could be an interesting streamer next season. Wilson was already playable in a few games in 2024 with only Pickens to throw to. Metcalf is a game-changer who can help elevate a quarterback's play. This is a situation to watch.

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