Is Geno Smith Worth Drafting In Fantasy Football?

Jackson Sparks takes a look at the fantasy football outlook for Geno Smith, who was recently named Seattle's starting QB. Is he worth drafting in fantasy leagues?

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has won the starting job over Drew Lock.

He’s not the flashiest name in fantasy football, but any starting quarterback is worth mentioning as the season draws closer.

For what it’s worth, Smith winning the QB1 job does at least tell us he’s shown some flashes in off-season activities. Is he worth taking a gamble on in fantasy football drafts?

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Geno Smith’s 2021 Recap

Smith stepped in for Russell Wilson after a finger injury in Week 5 against the Rams and started the next three games against the Steelers, Saints, and Jaguars. He averaged just under 15 points per game in the three starts, with a 22.6 boom week performance versus the Jags – finishing as a QB1 in Week 8. His starting campaign wasn’t long enough to draw definite conclusions about his 2022 fantasy outlook, but we can use those few performances as somewhat of a benchmark. He was a mediocre fantasy option against strong defenses (Steelers, Saints) and strong against the lowly Jaguars.

Geno Smith 2022 Fantasy Football Outlook. Is He Worth Drafting?

Smith doesn’t warrant much consideration to be drafted in traditional single-QB shallow leagues. He might be a decent streamer if your starting QB goes down with an injury or is on a bye week, but the year-long upside is extremely low. In two-QB/Superflex leagues, all starting quarterbacks are going to find a way on a roster, but it’s tough to think he’ll be a viable QB2.

He’s more useful as an “emergency” QB on your bench. Ultimately, if Seattle failed to “let Russ cook”, it’s unlikely Geno Smith will be lighting up the scoreboard. We could see Seattle transition back to the ground and pound and strong defense style of play, which is why it decided to draft Kenneth Walker III in round two of the NFL draft.

Geno Smith looks like he’s gonna get the start for the Seahawks… will it last 17 games or will we see Drew Lock this year?! 🤔 pic.twitter.com/aILJnaIS0B

— Sports ON Tap Seattle 🎙 (@SONTSeattle) August 26, 2022

DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett remain explosive weapons, so Smith will likely have a few boom weeks here and there, but he’s far from a “set ‘em and forget ‘em” fantasy quarterback. After all, there’s always going to be the chance he gets yanked for Drew Lock if the team struggles. There are more risky players at the position like Daniel Jones and Zach Wilson, but their upside is inarguably higher, making them much better flyers in 2022.

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