The 2024 Seattle Seahawks are a team looking for a fresh start. Long-time Head Coach and likely future Hall-of-Famer Pete Carroll is out, and Mike Macdonald is in. From an offensive personnel standpoint, the Seahawks have a nice young core of players aided by a handful of veterans. This means that despite their 9-8 record last season and their philosophical shift under a new head coach, the team offers dynasty managers a lot of nice options. Without further ado, let us examine the 2024 Seattle Seahawks.
Quarterbacks
Geno Smith
Heading into training camp, Smith sits atop the depth chart for the Seattle Seahawks. The former West Virginia star has traveled a curious path through his 10-year NFL career. Originally a second-round pick of the New York Jets, Smith flamed out in spectacular fashion after his rookie contract expired. He then spent the next four years as a backup for three separate teams (NYJ, NYG, and LAC). Then opportunity knocked.
When Russell Wilson fractured his finger on a defender’s helmet in Week 5 of the 2021 season, Smith entered the game and resurrected his career. He essentially had a four-game audition and played well enough to figure into the team’s plans after they dealt Wilson in a 2022 mega off-season deal. Smith would eventually take the reins and has held the job for the last two seasons heading into 2024. Since taking the job over the last two years, Smith has gone 17-15 as a starter with a 50-20 TD-to-Int ratio. Those numbers, combined with his rushing stats, were good enough for QB5 and QB19 overall finishes.
The 2024 season is set up as a make-or-break year for Smith. With the departure of Pete Carroll, the veteran QB is not only seeking to impress his incoming coach, but he also has very little guaranteed money left on his contract. At only 33 years old, this should mean we get the very best of Smith in 2024—barring injury. The Seahawks chose to pass on rookie QBs after the early run at the top of the first round. They may want to see how Smith fits in the new scheme.
Just a few Geno Smith highlights. There’s more where that came from! Enjoy. #Seahawks #GoHawks pic.twitter.com/fhvhpmkfbN
— Mikaela Mattes (@mikaelamattes) March 7, 2023
With a talented array of weapons at his disposal, I believe Geno Smith has every opportunity to be a high-end QB2 once again. He has playmakers at every level and could benefit from the addition of a new offensive mind. Macdonald has brought Ryan Grubb with him to help steer the team away from its ground-and-pound Carroll days. Grubb was recently the Offensive Coordinator for the Washington Huskies, where he helped reshape Michael Penix Jr.’s collegiate career.
If Smith continues his career resurgence, he could again represent an excellent value for Superflex managers. Smith is routinely going very late in startup drafts, and a search of the Dynasty Nerds trade browser shows some incredibly cheap prices for a starting QB. With values like these, sign me up as a buyer. Smith could be an excellent QB2 for any contending team, and he has the chance to solidify his value if he can earn an extension at the end of the year.
The Backups
Barring a catastrophic reversal of his play on the field, Smith should be a safe QB play in 2024. However, that does not mean that the team is without some intrigue behind him on the depth chart. Despite not drafting a quarterback to compete with Smith for the starting job, the team traded a third- and fifth-round pick to the Commanders for a fourth, sixth, and QB Sam Howell.
Last season, Howell was the talk of the league early on as he put some decent play on tape. At one point, he led the entire league in passing yards. However, his success was short, and he eventually sputtered out, helping to end the Ron Rivera era in D.C. If you have room on the back end of your bench, you could do far worse than a player like Howell. He could get another shot if Geno struggles or is injured during the season.
Running Backs
Kenneth Walker III
Since being drafted in the second round out of Michigan State just a couple of years ago, Kenneth Walker III has been one of the more productive RBs in the league when on the field. Walker is an electric ball carrier who has finished as an RB2 in his two NFL seasons.
At only 23 years old and with a second-round draft pedigree, Walker carries some nice dynasty value. Here at Dynasty Nerds, we have him with a combined ranking of RB12 overall. Despite these excellent numbers and his high ranking, I am slightly worried for Walker. Ex-Head Coach Pete Carroll had a penchant for sticking with a single bell-cow RB. We do not yet know what the new staff will do regarding the RB position.
I still believe Walker will finish as an RB2 in 2024. However, due to the presence of his backup, whom we will discuss in a bit, and his new play-caller, I believe he will stay in the lower half of that group. I believe that Walker will fall somewhere between RB20-24 overall. He is still a fine player to roster for any dynasty manager.
18 rushes 97 yards
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 27, 2023
3 catches 59 yards
2 touchdowns
𝐍𝐅𝐂 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤
What a week for @Kenneth_Walker9! pic.twitter.com/krtsKf9TRF
When looking through the Dynasty Nerds trade browser, I have seen several interesting trades. The most recent one highlights how highly some in the community value Walker. I would make this trade all day if I could get a young starting quarterback and a first-round pick.
Zach Charbonnet
I mentioned that Walker had a high-end backup RB, which made me nervous about his outlook. That high-end RB is Zach Charbonnet. The former Michigan and UCLA star was once seen as a top-level prospect ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. His size, speed, and soft hands made him an ideal candidate to be selected by a team looking for a starting RB. That was before the Seahawks inexplicably took him in the second round.
Generally, if a run-heavy team drafts a running back in the top two rounds, that player shoots up draft boards. However, in Charbonnet’s case, he plummeted down boards as he was now paired with teammate Walker on the heels of Walker’s breakout rookie season. Despite being placed in a terrible situation, Charbonnet did flash his own potential during his rookie season.
Seahawks rookie Zach Charbonnet with his most explosive play of the night on this catch and run.
— Seven Rounds in Heaven (@7RoundsInHeaven) December 1, 2023
The second-round pick out of UCLA has 90 yards from scrimmage on 16 touches on TNF. pic.twitter.com/pFIrhx3AeQ
Charbonnet is one of my favorite handcuffs in all of dynasty fantasy football. He is young, has excellent draft capital, and now has a new lease on life with a new staff in place. It remains to be seen how incoming OC Ryan Grubb will divide up the touches, but it can’t be any worse than it was under the Carroll regime. Please do yourself a favor and scoop Charbonnet up at his current price. With deals like these, why wouldn’t you?
Deep Stash Backups
Behind Walker and Charbonnet there will be very little work to be had. That doesn’t mean there is no talent to be found. Kenny McIntosh is a name to file away among the other players on the roster. That being said, barring a series of injuries, this will be a two-horse show in the Pacific Northwest.
Wide Receivers
DK Metcalf
The Seattle Seahawks have several highly talented playmakers at the wide receiver position. The starters on the depth chart are at varying stages of their careers. At the top of the heap for dynasty fantasy football purposes is former Ole Miss star, DK Metcalf.
DK Metcalf is one of the most physically gifted athletes to play wide receiver in the NFL. Few, if any, players have matched his raw natural gifts. He is big and fast with an excellent set of hands. Metcalf is the type of player who can hit a home run at any moment, yet has the physical stature to go over the middle and fight for contested yards. There is very little that this physical phreek cannot do.
Unsurprisingly, Metcalf has been highly consistent since arriving in Seattle. After a rookie season that saw him put up 900 yards and 7 TDs, he has finished no worse than WR21 any given year, placing as a WR2 or better for 4 years in a row. The arrival of Grubb and the departure of the ground-and-pound game that Carroll employed could truly unlock the potential of a player like Metcalf. Grubb made excellent use of his wide receivers at Washington as Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk put up prolific numbers in 2023. Imagine what he will draw up for a player with Metcalf’s skill set—especially around the endzone.
Since being drafted in 2019, D.K. Metcalf leads the NFL in End Zone Targets.
— Kyle Borgognoni (@kyle_borg) June 18, 2024
Been tracking this for a few years. Here is All 20 of them from 2023 📽️: https://t.co/ovlfsAcuyd pic.twitter.com/rI2RApUGaR
From a dynasty perspective, one of the best parts about Metcalf will be his price. Relative to other high-end WRs around the league, Metcalf comes at a discount. He is an extremely affordable player relative to his upside. I would argue that with the arrival of a new OC that could take the chains off the Seattle offense, Metcalf has as much upside as any player in the entire league.
Despite that potential, he can still be had at prices like below. If you can make deals like these in any of your leagues, I cannot stress enough how quickly you should jump on those prices. I promise you that you will laugh all the way to the bank.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
While teammate Tyler Lockett should be next up from a production standpoint, this is about dynasty fantasy football, so we now turn our attention to the talented sophomore of the bunch. The former Ohio State standout had somewhat of an up-and-down rookie campaign but appears set up for long-term success in Seattle.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (JSN) has quite a few fans amongst the dynasty community. You quickly understand why when you look at his profile and college production. His 6’0″ 200-lb. frame allows him to flourish both on the outside and the inside. He has nice speed, having flashed a 4.48 40-time at the combine. Just take a look at his exceptional Rose Bowl performance.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s incredible Rose Bowl performance:
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) May 31, 2023
15 Catches
347 Yards
23.1 Yards Per Catch
3 Touchdowns
• CJ Stroud also poured in 573 Passing Yards & 6 TDs
Smith-Njigba would only appear in 3 games this year due to a Hamstring Injury. pic.twitter.com/5rBFFu4oEY
The Seattle Seahawks have major plans for JSN going forward. NFL franchises do not spend first-round draft capital on players they do not plan to feature. He and Metcalf are the future of the Seahawks. The team will seek to build their passing attack around these two playmakers and their newly re-signed tight end Noah Fant.
JSN is a player for which savvy owners should be sniffing around their leagues. Some managers may be disappointed with Smith-Njigba’s rookie numbers. His 63/628/4 line was far from ideal. However, that was largely due to the presence of both Lockett and Metcalf in front of him. Sooner rather than later, Lockett will be out the door and Smith-Njigba will be on the rise. If you can find a deal like the ones below, I cannot recommend strongly enough to jump on it. An overpay today could be an underpay tomorrow.
Tyler Lockett
Tyler Lockett is the inconvenient truth regarding the Seattle Seahawks dynasty fantasy football options. The veteran playmaker just will not go away. He has stood in the way of Metcalf’s ascent to WR1 status. Lockett continues to make plays as evidenced by his impressive resume below.
These numbers highlight that Lockett has scored over 200 PPR points in each of the last 6 years. The 2024 season will likely be Lockett’s last ride in the Pacific Northwest. Despite his storied run with the franchise, his contract guarantees he will be elsewhere next year. The team can save $26 million against the cap by cutting the veteran playmaker by the 2025 season.
With his contact in mind, you can expect to get the very best out of Lockett in 2024. He will either be highly motivated to go out with a bang or to secure a new deal elsewhere. We will likely see another dose of some of the sweetest feet in the business.
Working on a Tyler Lockett story that’s gonna drop tomorrow. It required me to revisit some of his toe-drag touchdowns. Man, Tyler really makes these moments look effortless.
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) November 14, 2023
(Also kinda crazy how many of the best ones were on the left side of the end zone) pic.twitter.com/oH5c6fUor5
Now, the only owners who should be interested in Tyler Lockett moving forward are contenders. The good thing for those managers is that Lockett is cheap. I would gladly make either of the trades here.
The Backups
There is very little to get excited about deep down the Seahawk’s depth cart. You have disappointing former draft picks like Dee Eskridge. Jake Bobo could be rosterable in only the deepest of leagues. Laviska Shenault Jr. could be useful in return yard leagues. He should operate as the primary return man and could even garner a handful of touches in the offensive scheme.
Tight Ends
Noah Fant
Fant has become somewhat of a forgotten commodity in the dynasty community. A first-round pick out of the famed Iowa TE pipeline, he was originally thought of as a high-end dynasty fantasy football asset. Fant was T.J. Hockenson‘s college teammate, and there was once a legitimate debate about which player was the better prospect.
The debate between Fant and Hockenson looked to be heading in Fant’s favor initially. Over his three years in Denver, Fant finished twice as a top-12 TE and consequently outproduced Hockenson during two of those three years. Then the rug was snatched from under Fant’s feet when he was part of a deal sending him, along with a bevy of picks. to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Russell Wilson.
Since being traded to the Seahawks, Fant has been a member of an ugly committee. After acquiring him as a major part of their Wilson trade, the team inexplicably used their uber-athletic tight end to be a blocker as much as a receiver. Due to his usage, the former developing TE has fallen off the radar for many dynasty managers.
After the change at the top of the organization, Fant was one of the big offseason moves for the team. The Seahawks allowed former tight ends Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson to leave town for greener pastures. The team then further boosted Fant’s stock by giving him a fresh new deal as the unquestioned starter.
The #Seahawks are re-signing tight end Noah Fant to a two-year, $21 million deal, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2024
Fant is still only 26 and now gets a big payday on the contract negotiated by his agents @AthletesFirst pic.twitter.com/UNlRnIUdo1
In 2024, Fant should be able to become a dynasty asset again. He is now firmly atop the depth chart with little-to-no competition. Seattle will likely employ a more pass-oriented approach than the one under Carroll, who loved to grind the clock out. If Fant can continue to make plays like the ones he flashed in his limited opportunities over the last couple of years, he should be a top-12 fantasy TE again.
Noah Fant in Week 9:
— PFN Fantasy (@PFNFantasy) November 9, 2022
📈 6 TGTs
📈 5 RECs
📈 96 yardspic.twitter.com/9QKhODC9UZ
As you can imagine, given the lack of big production over the last couple of years, Fant comes at a discounted price. Searching the Dynasty Nerds trade browser shows the talented playmaker going for as little as a fifth-round pick. There is absolutely zero risk at that price, and that is stealing. Take that trade every time and twice on Sundays.
The Backups
With the departure of Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson, there is no tight end depth of note when it comes to dynasty fantasy football. This will be the Fant show with backup Pharaoh Brown doing little more than acting as a backup blocker.
Final Thoughts
The 2024 Seattle Seahawks will be an interesting team to follow. This squad is stacked with talent all over the offensive formation. Smith will be playing for his future as a starter in the NFL under a new system. He will be fortunate to have legitimate playmakers on every level of the offense. Your dynasty rosters will surely benefit from having players from this franchise. Only time will tell if the Seahawks are again in the playoff hunt. However, one thing is certain. With players like Metcalf, Smith-Njigba, and Walker on the field, they are going to be fun to watch no matter what.
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