The latest news on Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf will be a significant concern for fantasy football managers wondering whether to play him today in their lineups. Metcalf has been dealing with hip and rib injuries, which appear to be contributing to his decline in stats in 2023 so far. The fifth-year wide receiver has been struggling for multiple weeks with these injuries.
Let’s look into the latest injury news concerning Metcalf, whether he is likely to play, and what potential fantasy options are available to fantasy managers if he is not.
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Is DK Metcalf Going To Play Week 7?
It might have appeared as a shock to fantasy managers when Metcalf appeared on the injury report Wednesday. However, it appears to be multiple injuries that he has been dealing with for a few weeks.
Metcalf did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. He returned to practice, albeit in a limited fashion, on Friday. The typical Seahawks trend in years past is that if a player practices in the final session, they tend to play. Nonetheless, the latest information on Metcalf might contradict this trend.
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ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported this morning: “In each of the previous two weeks, Seahawks’ WR DK Metcalf, was listed as questionable due to a rib injury but wound up playing. This time, Metcalf is listed as questionable for Sunday due to a hip and rib injury, and this time, there are more concerns about his availability than there were in the past two weeks, per source.”
He then went on to say, “A decision about whether he can play vs. the Cardinals is likely to be determined in pre-game warmups.”
As this puts Metcalf’s status up in the air, fantasy managers need to seek alternatives this morning in case Metcalf cannot go.
Editor’s Note: Metcalf has been ruled OUT for Week 7’s matchup against Arizona.
Analysis last updated at 2:36pm EST on Sunday, October 22.
Potential Fantasy Options If Metcalf Is Out Include Curtis Samuel and Diontae Johnson
Metcalf is currently ranked as the WR13 in PFN’s Consensus Rankings. If he is able to play, he will be a must-start option against the Cardinals. However, if he can’t go, fantasy managers will need to look at alternatives.
The first alternative is Curtis Samuel of the Washington Commanders. Samuel is currently ranked as the WR33 in our Consensus Rankings this week and the WR24 in PPR scoring so far this season.
There are three solid reasons to start Samuel this week. Firstly, he’s probably available in your league. He is currently only rostered in 47% of ESPN leagues. Therefore, if you have the room to add someone, he can be added straight from your waivers.
Second, Samuel is currently fifth amongst all wide receivers in fantasy points scored within the 10-yard line. He is seventh amongst all wide receivers scored within the red zone. He is getting points in the area of the field that counts the most.
And lastly, he has a great matchup today. His matchup against Cor’Dale Flott of the New York Giants is one of the best WR/CB matchups this week. Flott is giving up a rather large 0.30 fantasy points per route run against him so far this season, according to FantasyPoints Data Suite. Samuel is a must-start option this week, given those factors.
Diontae Johnson is another option for fantasy managers. The Pittsburgh Steelers WR is coming off IR, having been given the bye to rest up and get healthy. He appears ready to go. This isn’t the best matchup for Johnson. However, the Steelers have struggled for points without him. I would expect Johnson to be a volume-based WR3 this week.
If fantasy managers are looking for other options this week, Jayden Reed and Skyy Moore have excellent WR/CB matchups this week against Ja’Quan McMillian and Michael Davis. Davis is giving up the most fantasy points per route run against him of any cornerback so far this season, while McMillian is giving up the fifth-most fantasy points per route run against him.
Both of these players are ranked in WR5 territory in our Consensus Rankings. However, both are admirable upside plays this week against good opposition. If fantasy managers are struggling in their matchups and need to go for broke, Reed and Moore are the two best deep plays available to them this week.