We are now entering the eighth week of the 2022 NFL season, and daily practice reports are becoming longer and longer as injury updates pour in. One player to monitor ahead of Week 8 is Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, who left last week’s game with a knee injury.
What is the latest on Metcalf’s status, and should fantasy football managers prepare to be without him Sunday afternoon against the New York Giants?
DK Metcalf Injury Update
The first time Metcalf was carted to the locker room, it turned out to be a pretty hilarious situation. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go. The second time, not as funny.
Metcalf left last week’s contest with a knee injury, which was unfortunate for the Seahawks, fantasy managers, and anyone who might’ve taken the higher on his receiving yards on Underdog Fantasy.
It was unclear exactly what happened, and Metcalf appeared to be mouthing the words “I’m alright” as he sat on the cart. At first, it didn’t seem like it was too serious.
Following the game, the severity was very much up in the air. Metcalf needed an MRI to fully rule out an ACL tear. Fortunately, Metcalf did not tear his ACL, and thus, his season is not over. Unfortunately, he is dealing with a patellar tendon issue.
MORE: RB Injury Report Week 8
On Monday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Metcalf was dealing with what Pete Carroll described as a patellar tendon issue, but no surgery would be necessary. Carroll did not provide a timetable for Metcalf’s return.
The Seahawks held a walkthrough on Wednesday. According to The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, Metcalf was present but did not officially participate. Carroll added that Metcalf is probably not going to practice at all this week.
While it’s a great sign that Metcalf was present at all, his lack of participation, when combined with Carroll’s words, paints a grim picture.
I feel confident that we will see Metcalf again this season. However, the words “no timetable for his return” don’t exactly inspire confidence in his ability to suddenly take the field without missing a game.
Will DK Metcalf Play in Week 7 vs. the Giants?
Carroll is notoriously unreliable when it comes to giving timelines on injuries, but he’s usually unreliable in terms of being overly optimistic. When he says Metcalf likely won’t practice all week, we can interpret that to be even more negative than it would be coming from coaches who are more transparent.
Different teams handle injury reports in different ways. Some teams like to play games. It’s possible the Seahawks list Metcalf as questionable, which would really only serve to prevent fantasy managers from placing him on IR.
Regardless, I just can’t see a world where Metcalf plays this week. Of course, I can’t say anything with 100% certainty on a Wednesday or Thursday, but this has all the makings of a multi-week injury.
Tyler Lockett currently checks in at WR21 on our Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings. Once our rankings are updated following more definitive injury news, expect to see him tick up a few spots. Lockett is a locked-in WR2 this week.
As for the primary beneficiary of Metcalf’s absence, that honor goes to Marquise Goodwin. The 32-year-old speedster caught four balls for 67 yards and two touchdowns last week. He is the presumptive favorite for the WR2 role and is a desperation WR5 this week. D’Wayne Eskridge would shift into the WR3 slot, but he is well off the fantasy radar.