The Seattle Seahawks may very well still be the best team in football after a championship campaign last season. But muck like 2013, this is a team that is void of true standout fantasy options. It's also important to take into account what promises to be a difficult schedule when looking for who to draft on the defending champs roster.
Let's take a look at eDraft's 2014 Fantasy Football Preview of the Seattle Seahawks.
Russell Wilson, Quarterback
With an ADP towards the end of the eighth round, Wilson represents a great amount of value in standard re-draft leagues. He finished as the eighth-ranked fantasy quarterback a season ago and should increase his numbers in 2014. Considering that Wilson threw the least amount of passes among regular starting quarterbacks and still finished as a QB1 option last year, there is a nice amount of upside here. It will all depend on whether Seattle decides to open up its offense more.
While Wilson's previous NFL experience doesn't include throwing the ball a lot, there is no reason to believe he can't succeed when called on.
Just look at the quarterbacks currently higher than Wilson in terms of ADP.
Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers
Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins
If's safe to say Wilson will finish ahead of at least two of these quarterbacks when all is said and done. If so, his value is going to be among the best at the quarterback position in fantasy football.
Marshawn Lynch, Running Back
Now that Lynch has reported to camp and is ready to go, he's suddently a favorite of fantasy football owners the world over. Now it still makes sense to expect RB1 production from Lynch in 2014, but I don't envision a scenario where he matches his No. 4 ranking from a season ago. This isn't due to any anticipated regression from Lynch. Instead, it's readily apparent that Pete Carroll and Co. plan on limiting Lynch's touches throughout the season.
Lynch averaged 20 rush attempts per game over the past two seasons. You can expect that number to decrease to about 16 or 17. While that doesn't seem to be too big of a difference, it really is in the grand scheme of things. If Lynch sees 50 less attempts than a season ago, it's natural to expect regression from a fantasy standpoint. Look for him to rank closer to 10th than fourth when all is said and done in 2014.
Christine Michael and Robert Turbin, Running Backs
Michael and Turbin could be viable fantasy options down the road. Turbin, a third-year pro from Utah State, is more pro ready of the two. Meanwhile, Michael represents tremendous upside. If Lynch sees his workload decrease in 2014, which is anticipated, it's my opinion that Michael represents upside as a decent back-end bench option in deeper leagues. In standard, 12-team leagues...look for these two to be nothing more than waiver-wire adds should something happen to Lynch. If you're in the need of a late-round add, go Michael over Turbin.
Percy Harvin, Wide Receiver
It's all about staying healthy here. Harvin is both a blessing and a curse for fantasy owners. He offers nearly unmatched potential from an ADP that currently sits at the top of the fifth round. But he can also leave you hanging at the WR2 position should his injury history catch up with him again this season. It's well documented that Harvin has missed 16 games over the past two seasons and continues to deal with various injuries. He's even been held out of practice already in training camp.
What makes Harvin such a dynamic fantasy option is the fact that he's averaging 60.3 yards and 0.53 touchdowns per game in his career. Those are undeniable top-tier WR2 numbers right there. Just take Harvin for what he is....a high risk, high reward option.
Doug Baldwin, Wide Receiver
The upside really isn't hear for Baldwin. Seattle passed less than any other team in the NFL last season and have a couple more-talented options behind Baldwin on the depth chart (more on that later). You pretty much know what you're going to get from Baldwin. And while that's not necessarily a knock, it doesn't make him a sexy option for your fantasy roster. Over the course of his career, Baldwin is averaging 43 receptions, 644 yards and four touchdowns per season. That makes him nothing more than a decent bench option, if that, in standard 12-team leagues.
In terms of consistency, Baldwin brings that. He ranked just outside of the top 30 among wide receivers in that category in 2014. So if you want someone who will continually provide you numbers, maybe pick him up as a bottom-tier FLEX option. That's about as much as you're going to get from him.
Zach Miller, Tight End
Really not much to see here. Seattle was more than willing to let Miller walk, especially after it released him early in the offseason. Once Miller decided to come back for less, the Seahawks were okay with bringing him back. With that said, it's important to note that talented second-year tight end Luke Willson will cut into Miller's targets. Simply put, there are about 30 better tight end options out there.
Biggest Fantasy Surprise: Jermaine Kearse, Wide Receiver
I envision a scenario where Kearse actually takes over for Baldwin as Russell Wilson's second favorite target at wide receiver. This youngster have everything you look for in a breakout star, including the ability to stretch the field and play both on the outside and in the slot. Kearse caught 58 percent of the 37 targets he received last year. Based on his production when on the field and Seattle's internal opinion of him, I can easily see Kearse receiving twice as many targets in 2014. If so, he's an under-the-radar FLEX option.
Biggest Fantasy Disappointment: Marshawn Lynch, Running Back
Again, we can still expect Lynch to be a RB1 option. The issue here is overreaching for him when all is said and done. As with most bottom-tier RB1 options, you're faced with a decision. Reach for a running back towards the end of Round 1 or find an elite option at another position. Last year was a prime example of this. Would you rather have spent a late first-round pick on Reggie Bush or Jimmy Graham? I think you know the answer to this question. Buyer beware here.
How the Schedule Impacts Seattle's Fantasy Outlook
Seattle has six games against teams that finished in the top 10 of the NFL in fantasy points allowed last season. It's going to be mighty hard for their offensive stars to put up starter caliber numbers those weeks. As is the case with every team in the NFC West, you need to factor into account Seattle's sechedule, especially when it comes to the running back position. Arizona, San Francisco and St. Louis are all going to be among the best rushing defenses in the NFL. Again, those goes into Lynch not living up to expectations.