Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (groin) was listed as a full participant in the first practice of Week 13 on Wednesday. Fant also practiced in full last Friday but was ultimately held out of the Week 12 win over the division-rival Arizona Cardinals. He's missed the last three games due to a groin injury that he suffered the day before Halloween, but two straight full practices suggests that he'll be able to return this weekend as the team faces the New York Jets on the road on Sunday. The 27-year-old figures to return to TE1 duties for the Seahawks when he's back, pushing rookie AJ Barner back to a backup role. Before his injury, Fant had caught 27 of his 32 targets for only 285 yards and no touchdowns in eight games. That hasn't made him very attractive in fantasy, but Fant could immediately jump into a bigger role this Sunday if receivers DK Metcalf (shoulder) and Tyler Lockett (knee) cannot play.

Seattle Seahawks wide receivers DK Metcalf (shoulder) and Tyler Lockett (knee) were both listed as DNPs at Wednesday's practice. The Seahawks still have two days of practice left this week, but fantasy managers should keep their eyes open for Metcalf's and Lockett's status over the next couple of days as the Week 13 contest against the New York Jets on Sunday approaches. Metcalf missed two game with an MCL sprain recently but returned the last two weeks to catch 11 of 14 targets for 129 yards and no touchdowns. Second-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is having a breakout season, would be the biggest beneficiary in Seattle's offense if one or both of Metcalf and/or Lockett are inactive this weekend. Metcalf is a must-start in fantasy anytime he's healthy, while Lockett has become the clear No. 3 in Seattle in 2024 and is a boom/bust WR4/flex option these days.

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet continued in his low-volume backup role in the Week 12 victory over the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, carrying the ball six times for 22 yards (3.7 yards per carry) while not being targeted in the passing game for the first time all year. Charbonnet has only had double-digit carries twice (back in Weeks 2 and 3) when he was the starter in place of the injured Kenneth Walker III. The 23-year-old's six carries against Arizona represented his highest carry total since Week 7, but it wasn't enough to give him any kind of standalone fantasy value, even in a good matchup against a shaky Cardinals run defense. Charbonnet has been inefficient in his second NFL season (3.4 yards per carry) and will only return to fantasy relevance if Walker misses more time with injury down the stretch.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba continued his 2024 breakout on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Smith-Njigba was clearly quarterback Geno Smith's preferred target on important downs in this game. Smith-Njigba caught his fourth touchdown of the season and led the Seahawks in targets once again. Smith-Njigba is building serious momentum. He has now recorded at least 110 receiving yards or a touchdown in three straight games. He is a top 10 fantasy wide receiver on the season which was not what most expected coming into the season. With Smith-Njigba seemingly finding consistency, he has entered the must-start conversation. The Seahawks do not have the worst schedule moving forward so Smith-Njigba should continue to produce at a relatively high level. Fantasy manager dreams are finally coming true for the 2023 first-round pick.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf was quiet in a Week 12 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. Metcalf caught four passes for 59 yards on five targets. Since his return from an MCL sprain in Week 11, Metcalf has not produced the high-end numbers fantasy managers are accustomed to. Additionally, fellow wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has emerged as an excellent weapon for the Seahawks and quarterback Geno Smith. Still, Metcalf's talent is too strong to ignore. He is unlikely to stay quiet for long. This is especially true considering that the Seahawks are entering a stretch run of the season in which they have a chance to take control of the NFC West. They do not have an egregious schedule for wide receivers ahead and should be able to produce solid numbers in the passing game. It is only a matter of time before Metcalf finds his way back into the high-end WR2 conversation.