Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf scared fantasy football managers this week by not practicing on either Wednesday or Thursday heading into Week 3. However, with his status officially listed as questionable, is it likely that Metcalf will play in Week 3? And, if he does, what is his fantasy outlook versus the Carolina Panthers in Week 3?
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Is DK Metcalf Going To Play Week 3?
Metcalf gave fantasy managers some hope on Friday after practicing in full after not practicing on Wednesday or Thursday. Metcalf, who has been struggling with an injury to the ribs this week, practiced on Friday — that’s a good sign.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, when asked about Metcalf on Friday, said he looked “really good today. He busted it all day long. He practiced full, and he looked good today.” He was then asked if Metcalf would play on Sunday, to which he replied, “He looked great, I would think so.”
Adam Schefter of ESPN followed up this morning by saying Metcalf “listed as questionable for Sunday due to a rib injury, is expected to play vs. the Panthers, per source.”
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Therefore, since it appears Metcalf will play on Sunday, what does that mean for his fantasy outlook vs. the Panthers?
What Does This Mean for Metcalf’s Fantasy Outlook?
With Metcalf likely to play, how should fantasy managers view him this week? Metcalf is currently the WR28 despite putting up two 13-point-plus weeks in PPR scoring so far this season. In our PFN Consensus Rankings, Metcalf is currently ranked the WR13 on the week.
Metcalf currently ranks second on the Seahawks in targets (11), receptions (nine), and touchdowns (one). However, he is the clear leader on the team in yards receiving (122). Metcalf’s usage dropped in Week 2, with a drop in the percentage of routes run down to 84% from 93%, and a small drop in average depth of target (aDOT) from 12.0 to 11.3. However, he did see one more target in Week 2 than he did in Week 1.
The Panthers, coming into this game 0-2, have yet to face a team as good at passing the ball as the Seahawks so far this season. They contained the New Orleans Saints to just 236 yards passing in Week 2; the Atlanta Falcons put up just 115 yards passing in Week 1. However, the Falcons rank 30th in pass attempts so far this season and only threw the ball 18 times against the Panthers.
While Metcalf appears to have a plus matchup on paper, some caution should be taken. The Panthers’ defense has looked really good at times this season. They have only allowed one passing touchdown this season. However, they have only caused one turnover so far this season.
The Panthers will also have experienced quarterback Andy Dalton under center for this game. Therefore, they should be slightly more potent on offense.
Metcalf should still be considered a must-start in Week 3, given the matchup. However, it appears more likely he will be putting up WR2 numbers instead of WR1 numbers. So, fantasy managers should temper expectations slightly but not enough to keep him on the bench.