After breaking out in 2018, Tyler Lockett’s been one of the most reliable wide receivers in fantasy football. The question for Lockett heading into 2023 is where he fits with a Seattle Seahawks that now has three top-tier wide receivers in the lineup.
2023 Fantasy Football: Tyler Lockett Profile
Recap of 2022 season
Lockett was second on the team last season in targets, receptions and yardage, trailing DK Metcalf. He finished the year with 84 catches on 117 targets with 1,033 yards and nine touchdowns. Other than a couple of down weeks, he was one of the most reliable week-to-week options in fantasy football.
Updated Seahawks outlook
The Seahawks drafted another wide receiver in the first round this year, nabbing Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the 20th pick. The Ohio State product gives Seattle three wideouts all capable of carrying a passing offense on their own. Look for the Seahawks to deploy a lot of 11-personnel formations.
Still, that doesn’t mean Lockett’s in any danger of becoming irrelevant. He’s too good of a receiver, a smart pass catcher who knows how to be where the quarterback needs him to be.
Seattle’s offense has the makings of being one of the most productive in the NFC if head coach Pete Carroll will just let them, ahem, cook.
Best-case scenario
Outside of an injury to either Metcalf or Smith-Njiba, the new addition is going to mean fewer targets for the two veterans, even though Metcalf and Lockett should still be 1-2 in the team’s receiving categories. The best case scenario for Lockett in this situation is that he puts up numbers on part with last year’s. Given his pass-catching ability, his touchdown numbers are always in that 9-10 threshold.
Worst-case scenario
The worst case is for Lockett to be the odd man out. His target share could dip enough to push him further into WR3 or Flex territory in fantasy lineups, where you’re guessing whether or not this will be the week he has a breakout game.
Prediction
Lockett will be fine. He’s unlikely to see the same number of catches and yardage totals as before, but he should still be good for a solid number of touchdowns. He’ll be worth a spot in fantasy lineups for sure, but you can probably hold off until the middle rounds of your draft to take him.