X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Rookie Spotlight - D.K. Metcalf

The Seattle Seahawks appeared to pull off a nifty move in the 2019 NFL Draft when they traded up to the 64th pick to nab Mississippi WR D.K. Metcalf. Scott Engel provides a look at Metcalf's dynasty value.

The Seahawks appeared to pull off a very nifty move in the 2019 NFL Draft when they traded up to the 64th pick to nab Mississippi WR D.K. Metcalf.

Widely regarded as one of the top wideouts available, there was much speculation he would be picked in the first round. When he started to drop to the end of the second, Seattle made an aggressive and admirable move to get the sizable target they needed for Russell Wilson.

Now that Metcalf has found a new home, what should fantasy football owners expect from this uber-athlete?

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

An Outstanding Pedigree

Metcalf is listed at 6-3, 228 and possesses a rare blend of size, weight and speed that could make him a unique and outstanding player in the pros. He has drawn comparisons to Demaryius Thomas, Josh Gordon and even Julio Jones and Terrell Owens at best, and Dorial Green-Beckham from other perspectives. There is no disputing his athletic abilities that can make him a possible star and a fantasy standout, but there are also concerns that he is raw in some areas and injuries could be an issue as he embarks on his NFL career.

Metcalf comes from a football family, as his grandfather Terry was a well-known Cardinals RB and his father Terrance played guard for the Chicago Bears. Many current NFL fans will certainly and fondly recall his uncle, electrifying kick returner Eric Metcalf. So you would have to believe with a strong football family background, he will be ready for the pros from a mental perspective.

The skills are tantalizing when you watch Metcalf on film. For a big target, he certainly plays with the outstanding skills of a smaller, explosive playmaker. He has great separation speed and can make spectacular grabs. He can wipe out a cushion and get downfield in a hurry for big gainers. Those types of abilities should mesh ideally with Russell Wilson, who is superb on deep throws, especially off play action fakes.

 

Fitting in With the 'Hawks

Wilson really needed a big target in the passing game, it was a missing piece in his arsenal regardless of the status of Doug Baldwin. Metcalf may have been drafted anyway even if the Seahawks did not face significant questions about Baldwin’s immediate future with talk of a potential retirement. He was not drafted to replace Baldwin. He was selected to add a needed dimension to the Seattle passing game. Jimmy Graham caught 10 TD passes in 2017 but was unreliable outside the goal line area. Dabbling with has-beens such as Brandon Marshall was not the answer, either.

The Seahawks needed a sizable pass-catcher for important downs and throwing situations near the goal line. Metcalf’s other notable talents as a speed merchant made him even more of a well-rounded prospect for Seattle. Don’t be surprised to see Metcalf get frequent targets inside the 10-yard line very early in his career. Seattle has established a very effective run game near the goal line, but adding the threat of short-range TD passes to a big target makes the team even better in scoring situations. I would not be surprised to see Metcalf catch 6-8 TD passes as a rookie.

Metcalf does not come without concerns, though, and consistency could be an issue for Fantasy players if they roster him in 2019. His route running needs work, and drops have also been a problem. He could even have more scoring potential right away if positioning and some footwork fundamentals did not need polishing as well. But he does have a very positive QB situation, and Wilson should be throwing more this season after last year’s Wild Card loss at Dallas indicated Seattle needed to willingly display more offensive balance when it counted most.

 

2019 Outlook

If we take Baldwin out of the picture for 2019, Tyler Lockett figures to catch more passes and score less often than last season, but he is not a pure possession WR by any means. David Moore has sleeper potential, as Pete Carroll indicated to me last season that they like him a lot internally and now he has an opportunity to step forward. Metcalf can be a wild card as the initial third receiver and fellow rookie Gary Jennings projects as a possession type. But he cannot be asked to be a dependable target right away as he adapts to the pros.

All of Seattle’s top three projected WRs without Baldwin have significant downfield playmaking abilities, which means the deep ball, on which Wilson is so adept, could become an even bigger part of the offense in 2019. Finding a high percentage, reliable Baldwin type on key passing downs could be a challenge, though. That could lead to some ups and downs on offense if drives stall out. None of the top three WRs are types to make frequent high percentage catches.

Metcalf also suffered season-ending injuries in two college seasons, to his foot in 2016 and his neck in 2018. So, health appears to be something that fantasy players will have to keep in mind as a potential item to consider when making a draft call between Metcalf and another similarly ranked player.

Only New England’s N’Keal Harry, though, who immediately enters a prime situation as a needed immediate impact performer for Tom Brady, should be taken over Metcalf in WR rookie drafts. Metcalf has a great combination of upside and a great QB situation. He could eventually develop into a Fantasy WR1 if he polishes up his initial pro concerns and stays healthy.

As a rookie, Metcalf could have some impressive outings, but he will have his ups and downs. I initially project about 55 receptions for 850 yards with a handful of touchdowns, making him fantasy-relevant even in re-draft leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Jonathan Kuminga

Receives New Offer From Warriors
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Emil Heineman

Aiming to Take the "Next Step" This Season
Braeden Cootes

Good to Go for Camp
Ivan Fedotov

Blue Jackets Acquire Ivan Fedotov From Flyers
Garrett Crochet

Punches Out 12 in Win
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP