Booms, Busts and Breakouts: Seattle Seahawks

As the mercury rises and we inch closer to training camp opens, our resident fantasy football aficionados, Brad Evans and Jeff Ratcliffe, profile their favorite books, busts and breakouts for every NFL team. Today’s topic: Steve Largent’s Lovelies.

Booms

Russell Wilson, QB

While he may not get the fanfare of some of the other elite options, Wilson has been nothing short of spectacular in his time as a pro. Even in the Seahawks’ uber-run-heavy offense, he’s still managed to post top-10 finishes in each of the last two years.

A big reason for that success is Wilson’s propensity to look to the end zone when Seattle gets in the red zone. Last year, he led all passers with a whopping 59 end-zone throws. All those high-percentage looks helped propel him to his third straight 30-touchdown season and the fourth of his career. With largely the same supporting cast as last season, Wilson is poised for another rock-solid fantasy campaign and he’ll likely come at a slight draft day discount. — Jeff Ratcliffe

Chris Carson, RB

An annual Rodney Dangerfield All-Star, Carson is a ridiculously underappreciated rusher who is sure to leave investors firmly in the black. A man who always packs a pair of brass knuckles, he runs with the power and toughness of a dozen John McClanes. Last season on a sizable 21.0 touches per game he popped off 1,231 rushing yards, chipping in 37 receptions for 267 yards and nine total touchdowns. 

Yippee ki yay. 

Under the microscope, Carson’s 2019 efforts were all the more impressive. He brutalized would-be tacklers to the tune of 3.63 yards after contact per attempt (RB5), ranked RB13 in yards created per carry and tucked inside the top-10 in missed tackle percentage (23.5). With his hip rested and healed, he’s fully expected to shoulder the load for Seattle Week 1 at Atlanta, a delectable matchup given the Falcons’ various defensive concerns. 

Carlos Hyde isn’t a threat, doubters. With a clean bill of health, versatile QB in Russell Wilson, respectable offensive line and nascent defense that just added all-world safety Jamal Adams, Carson is in a prime smash spot. At his RB19 ADP (34.5 overall), he’s absurdly underpriced. Take advantage. — Brad Evans

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Busts

Greg Olsen, TE

He’s one of the best fantasy tight ends of his generation, but sadly that generation has essentially all gotten their NFL AARP cards. Olsen enters the 2020 season at 35 years old and hasn’t played a full season since 2016. Since then, injuries have mounted up, causing Olsen to miss a total of 18 games over that span. We’ve also seen a decrease in efficiency out of the veteran in the twilight of his career.

None of this is a knock on the Olsen as a player. He’s been tremendous in the NFL and has had a lengthy career. But he isn’t a guy we should be targeting in the late rounds of fantasy drafts. Not only does he offer minimal upside, but he’s also in a crowded tight end room with Will Dissly and Jacob Hollister also in Seattle. — Jeff Ratcliffe

D.K. Metcalf, WR

His Adonis musculature and freakish kangaroo hops intoxicate the masses. It’s why most are overinvesting in Metcalf after a breakthrough rookie season, a campaign in which he finished WR32 overall in 0.5 PPR, logging 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns. 

Glancing at the secondary metrics Metcalf’s surface numbers weren’t a mirage. Though embattled with concentration issues (8 drops), he checked in at WR14 in contested catch rate, WR27 in YAC per reception and registered a spectacular 15.8 yards per catch. His size/speed combination is troublesome for defensive backs who don’t jam him effectively at the line. The guy is a marvel with a very bright future ahead of him. 

The receiver’s glowing attributes and stirring production from 2019 explain why his ADP (50.3) is inflated. In a conservative offensive scheme and given Seattle’s nascent defense, it’s hard seeing Metcalf advance his numbers forward. At WR21, he’s overhyped, especially if the ‘Hawks resign Josh Gordon. D.J. Chark, Terry McLaurin and Courtland Sutton are sexier options at a nearly identical price point. — Brad Evans

Breakouts

DeeJay Dallas, RB

He was far from a workhorse at the college level, as Dallas saw 265 carries and 28 catches over the last three years. Despite the lack of volume, Dallas amanaged a solid 5.8 yards per carry and 3.7 yards after contact per attempt over his career. He also has NFL size at 5-foot-10 and 217 pounds.

What makes him especially interesting heading into this season is his landing spot. Dallas will open the year buried on the depth chart and may even be a practice squad option. However, the Seahawks showed last year that they’re far from the healthiest backfield in the league. Rashaad Penny suffered a late-season ACL injury and may miss some or even all of 2020. With all that opportunity, Dallas is a sneaky name to keep an eye on this season. Seattle’s run-heavy offense bodes well for any back who gets the opportunity to touch the ball. — Jeff Ratcliffe

Josh Gordon, WR

Similar to Seattle’s newest hockey team, Gordon is the WR position’s ultimate Kraken. Rumored to rejoin the organization once reinstated by Warden Goodell, the creature from the deep could reemerge and pull the competition to a watery grave. No, he’ll never again resemble the dominant receiver who reset the record books in 2013, but he’ll prove to be at least occasionally employable as a WR3 or FLEX in challenging formats. 

Last fall, on 43 targets split between the Patriots and Seahawks, Gordon was a model of efficiency. He averaged 15.8 yards per catch, posted a laudable 5.7 yards after contact per reception and tallied a 103.4 passer rating when targeted. With Tyler Lockett, Metcalf and a full stable of tight ends on roster, he likely won’t entice even 20% of the team’s target share, but more than capable of gashing generous secondaries deep. 

I wrote about the Gordon situation last month, but with so many fantasy leagues expanding rosters due to COVID-19 worries, he’s worth a bench spot. Remember him in the waning moments of your draft (WR91, 239.1 ADP). — Brad Evans