The question of DK Metcalf playing in Week 8 has been one that evolved throughout the week for fantasy football managers. After there was seemingly very little chance of him playing early in the week, things improved to the point where Metcalf was questionable heading into the weekend.
Let’s look at the latest updates when it comes to Metcalf’s status for Week 8 against the New York Giants. Additionally, how should fantasy managers handle the situation with Metcalf and the Seattle Seahawks WRs this week if he is either active or inactive?
Update: DK Metcalf is active for the Seahawks in Week 8.
Is DK Metcalf Playing Today?
At the beginning of the week, the discussion was around whether Metcalf would be placed on injured reserve or not. However, entering Sunday morning, the expectation is that Metcalf will be active when the Seattle Seahawks take on the Giants on Sunday afternoon.
The evolution of Metcalf’s status this week has been intriguing. The week started with reports that he had avoided a major injury. However, by Wednesday, Metcalf was able to partake in the Seahawks’ walkthrough, even if he was not present for practice. That was a hint he could be active because why would the Seahawks have a player they did not intend to play this week partake in a walkthrough?
On Friday, Metcalf was able to be limited in practice. According to head coach Pete Carroll, Metcalf “did some stuff” and “ran around” during practice. Immediately after practice, Metcalf was labeled as questionable and said to be a game-time decision.
However, from what ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport are reporting Sunday morning, the decision is all but made, barring a setback.
With Metcalf set to be active, fantasy players have a chance to take advantage of his presence this week across a number of games on Underdog Fantasy. Whether it is in daily fantasy contests or their Pick ’em game, Underdog Fantasy gives you plenty of options. Additionally, new users can get up to a $100 deposit bonus upon signing up.
Should Fantasy Managers Trust Metcalf This Week?
Trusting a player coming into any game injured is always tough. That is especially the case with this patellar tendon injury, which is somewhat rare for NFL players. Therefore, we have limited data on the timeframe for his return and when he might be back performing at his peak.
Additionally, there is the inconsistency we have seen in Metcalf’s performances this year to consider. His 9.3 fantasy points per game in half-PPR scoring is the lowest since his rookie year. He is averaging around 75 percent of the average points he scored in 2021 and more than five points fewer than he managed on a per-game basis in 2020.
Of course, leaving last week’s game early did not help that average, but even without that game, his 10.6 fantasy points per game are still lower than either of the last two years. Even at 10.6 fantasy points per game, Metcalf would currently sit as the WR31 on the season. That position really emphasizes the risks with Metcalf this week.
MORE: Week 8 Fantasy Start/Sit
Through the first six weeks, Metcalf had scored more than 14.5 fantasy points in three weeks, Weeks 3 to 5. However, in Weeks 1, 2, and 6, Metcalf scored a total of just 15 fantasy points at an average of five per game. Even when he is fully healthy, Metcalf is a tough player to trust on a weekly basis. Add in the uncertainty of playing time and effectiveness with this injury, and Metcalf is a major risk for fantasy managers this week.
Another element to consider is the matchup with the Giants. WRs have averaged 20.46 fantasy points per game against the Giants this year. While that is the third-lowest number in the league this season, it is a weird number to trust. With a consistency rate of 48.2 percent, the Giants have been a tough defense to predict this season.
Three times this year, they have allowed over 29 points to opposing WRs. All three of those have come in the last five weeks. However, mixed in among those performances are fantasy returns of 10.3 and 7.0 points in Weeks 4 and 6.
That inconsistency further emphasizes the boom-bust nature of Metcalf this week. At full health, Metcalf and fellow WR Tyler Lockett would be more than capable of exploiting the Giants’ pass defense. However, with both struggling with injuries, it could be a tough week for the Seahawks’ passing game.
If Metcalf Is Inactive, Can Fantasy Managers Trust Any Other Seahawks Players?
While we believe Metcalf will be active this week, there is always the risk that he ends up missing the game. There is also the risk that Lockett misses the game. If that is the case, is there anyone else on the roster that fantasy managers could turn to?
There are seven receivers listed on the Seahawks roster for Week 8 after they elevated Cade Johnson from the practice squad for this game. The others are Marquise Goodwin, Dee Eskridge, Penny Hart, and Dareke Young. Hart is listed as doubtful, so he is not expected to be active.
After Metcalf and Lockett, the only players other than Hart to have a target this year are Goodwin (15) and Eskridge (9). If Metcalf and/or Lockett were to miss time, both should see additional playing time. Goodwin saw a bump in two WR sets without Metcalf last week, while Eskridge saw the biggest jump in snaps.
When it comes to targets, Goodwin led the pair five to one last week. It was Goodwin’s second five-target game of the season, taking him to 15 on the year. That would indicate he is in line to be the main beneficiary if one of the two leading receivers were to miss time. However, Goodwin is a tough player to trust for fantasy. He could volume his way into fantasy value, but it would be limited to 16-team leagues as a boom-bust option.
If both Lockett and Metcalf were out, then Eskridge would likely have the shot to play alongside Goodwin in two wide receiver sets. However, knowing what Eskridge can be in that role is tough.
He has just 29 targets with a catch percentage of 55.2 in his career. That has resulted in 16 receptions, 119 yards, and a single passing touchdown in 17 games. It would be extremely tough to rely on Eskridge as a fantasy option this week unless you were desperate in a very deep league.