Free agent LB KJ Wright has still not signed anywhere. The defense would obviously be better with him, but they will ultimately be ok. The big thing to watch for is how the offense performs with a new system. QB Russell Wilson will make the decisions, but the play calling will focus on faster developing routes.

QB -

Wilson is easily in the top 10 quarterbacks in the fantasy draft. He has a huge upside because his line will be better than most think and the new offensive scheme should increase his overall yards too. Hopefully he comes out of the gate the same as he did last year and makes QB Peyton Manning’s records seem reachable again.

On the line, I will be watching to see if rookie RT Stone Forsythe can sneak into the starting line up over RT Brandon Shell. Shell can be a deficit and Forsythe has upside. Otherwise it will be LT Duane Brown, LG Damien Lewis, C Ethan Pocic, RG Gabe Jackson, and Shell. Jackson was an absolute steal over the offseason and will be an upgrade. This line is not the line that left Wilson running for his life and his stats should show that every week.

RB -

It is harder to predict how RB Chris Carson will perform. Coach Carroll will always push for ball control but Carson has to stay healthy. He is probably around the 15th running back to go off the board in most fantasy leagues and he should have little if any competition for the ball. I would take him with confidence in the 3rd round.

Behind Carson we have RB Rashaad Penny who is already missing time due to injury again. He is expected to be in full participation next month, but really he has been such a bust. RB Alex Collins is interesting and I would consider picking him up late. He is a bruiser and will get reps if Carson is not full strength. RB DeeJay Dallas is a flyer. I would put a watch on him. If he starts being used in the short passing game then he may be worth picking up on waivers.

WR -

Emphasizing the passing game with WR DK Metcalf, WR Tyler Lockett and WR D Eskridge on the field should scare defenses. The only problem is, who do you start? Fantasy owners last year typically had only one of Metcalf or Lockett get WR1 numbers in any given game and the other was closer to a WR3. If you started them each week then you were let down half the time. Eskridge should get some targets as may some of tight ends. Metcalf is probably going too early in fantasy drafts given that logic and Lockett is a better value if you can wait just the right amount of time. WR Penny Hart is a sleeper who has had a good camp and could get more targets than Eskridge.

TE -

Ok. I know this goes against what I have been saying, but Coach Carroll is calling out TE Gerald Everett as a player to watch. The new system is mostly hidden from us for now, but it will likely feature more two tight end sets than we are used to. The good news is that Everett will likely be available very late in the fantasy draft (as will WR Will Dissly who I would prefer to see getting the reps). Consider grabbing him with one of your last picks. Or Dissly if you bleed blue.

K-

PK Jason Myers seems to be going just outside of the top 10 kickers in fantasy drafts. That is probably about right. I would not take him too high, but he also will not be on the board forever if you are wanting a Seahawk kicker.

D -

There are some new things coming with the defensive scheme too. And with DE Carlos Dunlap II, LB Bobby Wright, and SS Jamal Adams all on the field every down there will be a lot of good defense to watch just with them. The new scheme should make the loss of Wright less of a problem, but we will see.

Right now the Seahawks D is going just after about half of the defenses are off the board in fantasy drafts. That seems like a good value to me. This defense was solid the second half of last year and could start out better than it ended. I would grab them as soon as 10 or so Ds are off the board.

Go ‘Hawks,

End.