Geno Smith fantasy outlook: Start or sit Seahawks QB in Wild Card round?

The Seattle Seahawks placed their faith in Geno Smith as their starter to begin the season, and he’s rewarded the franchise with a wild-card matchup versus the San Francisco 49ers. Seattle lost both regular-season games against their division rival, but Smith put together a better stat line when they last met in Week 15. Can he be trusted to plug into fantasy lineups come Saturday afternoon?

Fantasy Football analysis: Seahawks QB Geno Smith ($5,600)

Smith is priced at $5,600 at DraftKings, making him the third-most expensive quarterback on the Saturday slate. While there’s a chance that the game script could work in his favor, it’s hard to feel confident in him facing a 49ers defense that ranks in the top four both against the run and the pass. However, if San Franciso’s defense bottles up the ground game, Seattle could rely on Smith’s arm to carry them to victory. Thankfully, he has two talented wideouts at his disposal in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.

San Francisco has given up the fifth-fewest DKFP per game to opposing quarterbacks, but when these two teams last met in Week 15, Smith had a solid performance with 218 passing yards and a touchdown, without throwing an interception. He also added one rush attempt for 18 yards. Smith has run for at least 16 yards in nine of his last 10 games, so while the matchup isn’t advantageous, there is a chance that his floor and upside get a boost if it comes down to him making plays himself.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Sit. Hoping for a game script that tailors to Smith making plays with his arm is a lofty belief, and there are clear-cut better quarterback options out there with Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, and Brock Purdy playing on Saturday. Smith managed to put together a solid outing back in Week 15, but that came at home in Seattle. As the Seahawks travel to San Francisco for this wild card matchup, it’s best to play it safe and avoid rolling with Smith in lineups.