The Seattle Seahawks are in a must-win situation for the third consecutive week as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. So far, Seattle has shined in these games, winning its last two against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tennessee Titans. A big reason why has been the play of its wide receivers.
With that in mind, should DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, or Jaxon Smith-Njigba be started in fantasy football championships this week?
Fantasy Outlook for DK Metcalf This Week
First and foremost, we need to know that Metcalf is healthy heading into this game. He was put on the injury report on Thursday and missed practice as he is dealing with a back injury.
All indications are that it was more of a precaution to get him some rest, and the expectation is that he will be playing against the Steelers.
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Last week against the Titans, he finished the game with four catches for 56 yards and one touchdown. He is a matchup nightmare for any team, especially a Steelers team that struggles to stop the pass. The Steelers give up 230.7 yards per game through the air, which ranks 21st.
Assuming he is healthy and plays, he could be in store for a huge game on Sunday.
Fantasy Outlook for Tyler Lockett This Week
The bad news for Lockett has been that he just isn’t scoring any touchdowns right now. The last time that Lockett got into the endzone was against the Washington Commanders on Nov. 12, and pretty much every receiver has a big day against the Commanders.
While he isn’t scoring touchdowns, he has still been very productive this year as he usually is. In the win against the Titans, Lockett made multiple big catches to keep drives going. He finished that game with eight catches for 81 yards. With Metcalf demanding a lot of the Steelers’ focus, Lockett could have a very good day with the 1-on-1 matchups he should be getting.
Fantasy Outlook for Jaxon Smith-Njigba This Week
Smith-Njigba had his signature rookie year moment two weeks ago when he caught the game-winning touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
He has started to play some of his best football at just the right time for the Seahawks. In his last four games, he has at least four catches and has 29 targets. He is an absolute nightmare in the slot, where he often gets the matchup he wants.
He has shown that he has earned the trust of either Seahawks quarterback, but Geno Smith went to him last week in some big moments, and Smkith-Njigba delivered.
Which Seattle WR Can You Trust This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s Consensus Rankings say managers should start Metcalf. He is projected to have 14.3 fantasy points on six receptions and 65 receiving yards. Lockett is projected for 10.7 fantasy points on four receptions and 46 receiving yards, while Smith-Njigba is projected to have 9.5 fantasy points on four receptions and 41 yards.
I agree with the Optimizer and am starting Metcalf. However, when it comes to the other two receivers, I think Smith-Njigba could be a Flex option who ends up scoring a touchdown in Week 17.
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