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The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks lost some key pieces to their defense in the offseason, but they were able to keep most of their offensive unit intact. In fantasy football terms, the only player not returning from last season will be wide receiver Golden Tate, who signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency.
As long as Marshawn Lynch is still trucking along and Russell Wilson is able to be creative and make plays with his legs, then the Seahawks will be a run-first kind of offense. This philosophy will no doubt affect the value of Seattle’s receivers in fantasy, however, it does not mean that their receiving corps isn’t worth drafting at all.
Percy Harvin will be the No. 1 reciever in the unit and also fielding kickoff returns. It will be good to see the receiver back out on the field after missing most of last season while recovering from major hip surgery. The news that Harvin will be selected to return most kickoffs should worry fantasy owners because he could be taking a lot of extra hits. He is already considered to be somewhat of a fragile player, so there is some risk when drafting him. If you are willing to take a gamble on Harvin, he may be worth it, but best-case scenario, he is a low-end WR2.
Doug Baldwin will take over the vacant position left by Tate opposite on the outside of Harvin. He has mainly been a slot receiver in his few seasons in the league and his numbers don’t really jump off the page. Baldwin will be seeing increased playing time in the upcoming season, but he should remain a complementary receiver as he has in years past. Since he will remain in that role in a run-heavy offense, he is a player who should be an easy decision to pass on in fantasy drafts.
Jermaine Kearse will fill in the slot role this season and is certainly a player to keep an eye on. With good size for the slot and an excellent ability to beat defenders at a high point, he could see increased responsibility as the season unfolds. He may not put up worthy numbers to justify a spot on a fantasy roster, but he certainly has the skill to take steps forward toward being that kind of player in the future.
Alexander Muir is a writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @AmuirAlex, “Like” him on Facebook or add him on your network on Google.
