The Seahawks were originally optimistic that DK Metcalf (knee) would play in their Week 9 divisional showdown with the Rams, but they ruled the star receiver out on Friday after he was unable to practice this week.
#Seahawks injury report for their Week 9 game vs the Rams. No DK Metcalf or Noah Fant. No designation for George Fant, so he could be ready to go. pic.twitter.com/eKlxcEE4xI
— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) November 1, 2024
Metcalf will be out for a second straight game, and Noah Fant (groin) is also out, leaving the Seahawks short on pass catchers in Week 9.
Who steps up with DK Metcalf out?
With both those players drawing significant targets when healthy, there should be opportunities for other Seahawks to step up as good fantasy options.
Last week against the Bills, Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($6,200) led the team with six catches and 69 receiving yards. He also had more targets (7) than any other pass-catcher by a wide margin.
JSN has posted double-digit fantasy points in four of his last five games but has hit 100 yards just one time all season, which was back in Week 2 when he had a season-high 26.7 fantasy points against the Patriots.
He has that kind of upside against the Rams, but has not been able to reach it with or without Metcalf on the field recently.
Tyler Lockett ($5,600) was the only other wide receiver with more than two targets last week, but he only managed one catch for nine yards.
Both JSN and Lockett have high salaries and are high-risk plays in this week’s DFS contests like the NFL $2.75M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]. There is one sneaky value that I like though.
Potential value at tight end
While the Rams have been good against wide receivers, they have allowed the third-most fantasy points in the NFL to opposing tight ends. With Fant out, AJ Barner ($2,600) could be a great ultra-cheap play to consider. The rookie fourth-round pick has 10 catches for 105 yards this season and had two catches for 34 yards and 5.4 fantasy points last week.
Barner was on the field for just 37% of snaps last week, but should get more work now. Fant has drawn 14 targets over the last three weeks, and if those looks go to Barner, he could be a diamond-in-the-rough play, especially if the Seahawks have to throw a lot while playing from behind like they did last week.
The Seahawks are one-point home underdogs this week, but player props haven’t been released yet since there is so much uncertainty about players’ availability. We know the Seahawks won’t have Metcalf or Fant, though, so it seems like it might be a good week to attack the under on Geno Smith’s ($5,800) passing yards, which is set at -115 to be under 252.5.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
