Dynasty Capsule: Seattle Seahawks

Every year we give our premium content members a team-by-team, player-by-player look at the NFL season that was. The coverage will be in-depth, but because the Dynasty Capsule series begins immediately after the season, we won’t use it to discuss free agency or the draft. Come see us in early May once Mr. Irrelevant is off the board for another 32-article series giving you the same detailed discussion you’ll see below.

Buckle up dynasty fans, because you’re about to be reminded why our motto is, “There is no off-season.”

Quarterback

Russell Wilson

Wilson gave us another MVP-worthy campaign in 2017. Unfortunately, for the first time in his storied career, his year ended in week 17 without a trip to the postseason. Seattle’s shortcomings fall mainly on the defense and running game. Wilson, on the other hand, put forth his best fantasy season to date.

The QB threw for 3,983 yards with 34 touchdowns, compared to just 11 interceptions. He was the number one fantasy quarterback in most formats, and a top-five player overall. There were ten games where Wilson posted three or more total touchdowns, compared to just one in which he scored fewer than 15 points. This is what elite looks like.

Going forward, the Seahawks are likely to shed some serious defensive salary over the next two years. General manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll have done some of the smartest team-building in the league over the past six to seven seasons. Yet, if they fail to rebuild the offensive line around Wilson and the running backs behind him, they deserve to be run out of town.

Wilson may not produce many seasons better than the one he just had, but for dynasty purposes, there’s an excellent chance he can play at this level for five to six more years.

Running Back

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Chris Carson

Carson finished 32 yards short of leading all Seahawks running backs in rushing yardage despite playing in just four games all year. This tells you everything you need to know about how weak Seattle’s backfield was in 2017.

Carson averaged a little over 12 carries per game back in the experimental stages of the Seahawks’ ground game. The team was just coming around to the idea of Carson carrying the load over Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls when the rookie went on I.R.

Had Seattle made the playoffs, it’s possible he could have suited up for the postseason. This should give dynasty owners encouragement come draft time next season. Yet, Carson is likely to be over-drafted based on the belief he will be the team’s lead back. A healthy C.J. Prosise or talented rookie thrown into this mix could put Carson right back in timeshare purgatory. At the right price, however, he’s a player all owners should look to acquire moving forward.

C.J. Prosise

The sky-high expectations for Procise have been beaten to death by the injury bug over his first two professional campaigns. Few people doubt the talent or the fact Seattle will have a healthy role for the 220-pounder who moves like a scatback once he proves his durability. The question is whether he ever will.

With just 11 games logged in two seasons, many dynasty owners are likely to pull the plug on their Prosise experiments this off-season. When looking for recent comps of running backs who’ve struggled to prove their value because of early career injury woes, Ameer Abdullah, and Mark Ingram come to mind. Those who own Prosise should expect to receive a rash of lowball offers for the back over the coming months. Those who don’t should start throwing their late-round draft picks around hoping to steal a serious 2018 bounce-back candidate.

J.D. McKissic

The ineffectiveness and frailty of the backs ahead of McKissic thrust the second-year utility player into a flex-worthy role out of the Seahawks backfield this season. He’s likely earned himself a roster spot with the team in 2018. How much he plays and his fantasy value will again be determined by the players ahead of him on the depth chart, however.

McKissic is a fascinating dynasty stash, particularly if he could land a number two job on a team in need of a passing down specialist. A healthy Prosise would block him from such a role in Seattle, but should he find a way to get to a new team, he would have RB-Zero value written all over him.

Thomas Rawls

Rawls is set to become a restricted free agent in 2018. While Seattle will be free to re-sign him for a song, don’t expect them to. The money they save by letting Rawls walk could be better spent on a multitude of positions of need for a franchise who’ll be looking to infuse their roster with talent this off-season. Rawls becomes a late-round lottery ticket in dynasty leagues moving forward.

Mike Davis

Davis will also be an unrestricted free agent in 2018. He gave the team six starts down the stretch, with only moderate production as a runner and receiver. Davis is young enough and talented enough to remain on your radar. He is not, however, a player you want to roster over the off-season, or target in drafts and free agency short of him landing on a team devoid of backfield talent.

Eddie Lacy

After averaging 2.9 yards-per-carry with no TDs in nine games, including three starts, Lacy will be an unrestricted free agent in 2018. Sayonara Felicia.

Wide Receiver

Doug Baldwin

Baldwin will be 30 by week one of the 2018 campaign. He posted his third-consecutive top-15 season, but first outside the top-ten since 2014. Baldwin should post several more seasons as a viable WR2, and could conceivably even find himself back in the WR1 discussion over the next few years.

It’s worth noting that while Baldwin’s production steadily increased over the opening years of his career, his rise to elite fantasy production coincided with the arrival of Jimmy Graham in 2015. Now, Graham’s future with the team is uncertain entering the off-season.

Baldwin has earned his status as a top-flight dynasty receiver. Still, it’s fair to question how his stats would be affected without another big-time receiving threat for defenses to worry about. In any event, he’s likely to be the team’s number one target for years to come, but dynasty owners may want to start thinking about the best time to divest and maximize their return.

Paul Richardson

After three disappointing seasons in the NFL, Richardson finally showed off his full ability in the passing game. Finishing with 703 yards and six scores, on 44 receptions, Richardson’s effort landed him in WR3 territory this season.

The soon-to-be fifth-year pro will be an unrestricted free agent this spring. He could be the target of a handful of teams looking to add speed to their receiving corps. His landing spot will be the key to his future dynasty value. Should Richardson wind up back in Seattle, it would be fair to expect a slight uptick in his output. In the right situation, it wouldn’t be crazy to see him sneak into the top-24.

Tyler Lockett

Lockett’s outlook is closely tied to the outcome of Richardson’s contract situation, as well as any free agency and draft acquisitions the Seahawks might make. He put forth his lowest career output, despite a career-high in targets and had just four contest with over 37 yards through the air.

Lockett emerged as a deep threat from the time he entered the league but had that role usurped by Richardson this season. After posting a dud in his third year as a pro, Lockett enters a contract year in 2018 and could have a clearer path to playing time if Seattle stays true to form and avoids making any big additions at WR. If this scenario plays out, Lockett’s ADP could skyrocket next summer based on the perceived opportunity.

Amara Darboh

Darboh’s frame and athleticism make him an intriguing prospect to watch throughout camp next year. He would probably need Graham to leave in order for more red zone opportunities to open up for him, but wind up as a top-four target in the passing game if things break his way.

Tight End

Jimmy Graham

After three seasons in Seattle, the 31-year-old Graham will become an unrestricted free agent in March. Graham gained 403 fewer yards but scored four more TDs than he managed in 2016, despite receiving one more target than he received last season. It’s a baffling stat line for a player who’s befuddled dynasty owners since leaving New Orleans.

Turning 32 next November doesn’t seem like a huge impediment to Graham’s potential productivity next season after watching him hit double-digit TDs this year. Yet, as always, the tight end’s landing spot will play the biggest role in shaping his dynasty outlook for 2018 and beyond.

Whether he chooses to stay in Seattle or leaves to chase a title or even the money, Graham should remain one of the league’s top tight ends. Yet, after career-lows in catch rate and yards per reception, his days of producing volume in PPR leagues may be behind him.

Nick Vannett

There was some moderate buzz surrounding Vannett coming out of Ohio State in 2015. Two seasons into his career with the Seahawks he’s shown dependable hands across the middle and could develop into a solid complementary tight end. Projecting him a much more than that is unlikely, absent Graham’s departure.

There is a plausible scenario in which the Seahawks let Graham move on, and allow Vannett and Luke Willson to man the tight end position together. In such a scenario, Vannett’s ceiling rises up to the TE2 range currently occupied by the likes Vernon Davis, Jesse James, and Austin Hooper.

Luke Willson

Wilson’s career-high four touchdowns came on a career-low tying 15 receptions. He would also see an uptick in usage should Graham skip town. However, there’s little reason for you to highlight his name on the wishlist for 2018.

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