With both teams on full rest, we got an offensive bonanza this Thursday night. A true treat, especially for fantasy football. Following the Seattle Seahawks‘ best offensive performance of the season, let’s examine the fantasy outlooks for DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the remainder of the season.
DK Metcalf’s Rest-of-Season Outlook
It’s been a somewhat underwhelming season for Metcalf so far, but not an outright disaster. He posted two duds in the last five weeks, but Metcalf’s other three games have been smashes. In fact, on the season, he’s hit double-digit fantasy points in all but two games.
On Thursday night, we finally got a vintage Metcalf explosion. If you add together any two of his other games, they won’t add up to what he did against the Cowboys.
Metcalf caught six passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns. And now, Seattle’s next three opponents are bottom 10 against wide receivers.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
While we certainly just saw Metcalf’s best game of the season, he’s now surpassed 90 receiving yards in three of his last four. The talented flanker is heating up right when fantasy managers need him most.
Metcalf’s not quite a fantasy WR1 rest of season, but he’s right on the borderline.
Tyler Lockett’s Rest-of-Season Outlook
Just about everyone in this game smashed…except for Lockett. In a game where Geno Smith threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, Lockett accounted for just 47 yards on five receptions.
Lockett’s performance marked his third consecutive dud and his fourth in his last five games.
Fantasy managers should remain optimistic, as Lockett’s talent is not in question, nor is his playing time. Plus, the favorable schedule benefiting Metcalf should also benefit Lockett.
We know Lockett is capable of 20-point games. This is who he’s been for a few years now. He’s a volatile fantasy asset. There will be another big game. Maybe two. Hopefully, they come when fantasy managers need it most. Consider Lockett a low-end WR3.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Rest-of-Season Outlook
This wasn’t Smith-Njigba’s best fantasy outing of the season, but it should’ve been. The rookie set season highs in targets (10), receptions (7), and yards (62). But the real story was a 30-yard would-be touchdown that was overturned on replay.
It took JSN more time than some of the other rookies, but he looks every bit the part of a future fantasy WR2. The theory behind him before the season was true. If Metcalf or Lockett went down, JSN would’ve been a weekly startable WR3, at worst.
He’s still playing behind Metcalf and Lockett. I don’t anticipate that changing, his quality performance notwithstanding. But we could definitely see his usage ramp up over the final third of the season.
Fantasy managers with Smith-Njigba should remain cautiously optimistic about being able to start him. He’s not quite there yet, but one more week of 7+ targets will have him firmly in the top 36 going forward.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!