DK Metcalf and the Seattle Seahawks offense as a whole have let fantasy football managers down through nine weeks this season. They are averaging 2.5 fewer points per game than they did in a strong 2022 season, and things haven’t been trending in the right direction.
Metcalf injured his ribs in September, but he is said to be fully recovered from that. He is now battling a hip injury that resulted in him watching Thursday’s practice from the sidelines.
How should fantasy managers be treating this situation as we move toward kickoff against the Commanders?
Editor’s Note: DK Metcalf is not listed on the Seahawks’ final injury report and is expected to be active in Week 10 barring a setback.
Latest Injury Update on DK Metcalf
Will Metcalf Play This Week?
The early speculation is that the team is being cautious with their star receiver and that he is still positioned to play this weekend.
Of course, fantasy managers need to stay on top of this situation (bookmark this page, we will update it with fantasy analysis the second we get news!), as the Seahawks are battling for a spot in the playoffs and will likely be as focused on the long-term as they are the short-term in terms of pushing their WR1.
What Does This Mean for Seahawks Players’ Fantasy Rankings?
I’ve adjusted my rankings a touch with this news for Metcalf, understanding that I could undo those changes should he practice in full on Friday. Prior to this development, I had him ranked as a low-end WR2, and that’s about as high as I’m willing to go with him given that, per the Week 10 Cheat Sheet, the next week he returns top 20 value this season will be the first.
Now, he’s just outside of my top 25 at the position — still a Flex play in most spots, but one that comes with risk. Fantasy managers need to be patient here, but also prepared. The Seahawks play in the late window on Sunday, something that seriously limits your number of replacement options should Metcalf be a late scratch.
In order to deal with that uncertainty, Metcalf should slide into your Flex spot, thus allowing you maximum replacement versatility should it come to that.
The later games in Week 10 don’t offer a ton of great replacement options that you wouldn’t already be starting (Jahan Dotson is the strongest option, and outside of him, you’re looking at options like Brandin Cooks, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Quentin Johnston), making me more likely to be aggressive in benching Metcalf now and reacting to positive news instead of the other way around.
Should Metcalf sit, Tyler Lockett (not a top 40 performer in four of his past six games) would move onto my Flex radar, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba not far behind.
MORE: Fantasy Football News Tracker
Regardless of his status, I remain skeptical about the value of Geno Smith. He has regressed in a significant way, and that’s not something I’m confident will change — he’s outside of my top 15 at the position. As we stand here right now, this is the tier in which I have Metcalf ranked for Week 10:
- 22. Chris Godwin (vs. TEN)
- 23. Amari Cooper (at BAL)
- 24. Tank Dell (at CIN)
- 25. DK Metcalf (vs. WAS)
- 26. Marquise Brown (vs. ATL)