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Through this point in Russell Wilson’s young career, there have been very few opportunities to say that he has disappointed. As one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the NFL, the third-year captain is a lock to deliver a solid performance against the Denver Broncos in Week 3.
He may not ever be known for putting up the biggest numbers, but he rarely hurts his team. In 39 career regular and postseason games, Wilson has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in only four of them. Three of those came in the first half of his rookie season.
Sure, it’s definitely a downfall that the former Wisconsin Badger is rarely a Fantasy Football game-changer, but because of his excellent decision-making and consistency, he’s essentially matchup-proof. This means you can start him every week, even if he’s playing against the league’s best defense, which isn’t possible.
As for his Week 3 matchup, fantasy owners deploying Wilson as their quarterback have to be encouraged. Through two games, Wilson is averaging 196.5 yards and two touchdowns per game while completing about 68 percent of his passes. Against the Broncos, opponents this season have averaged 312.5 yards per game. The biggest stat to look at is passing attempts. It’s no secret that the Seattle Seahawks don’t pass a lot. Wilson has only attempted 53 passes so far, ranking him 26th in the NFL. For perspective, that’s the same amount of passes Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck attempted in Week 1 alone against Denver.
When these two teams met last year in Super Bowl XLVIII, the Broncos were disoriented from the start. The Seahawks got out early to a 22-0 halftime lead, allowing them to maintain their ground-and-pound style offense. Don’t be so naïve as to assume the same thing will happen. I will all but guarantee the Broncos will have enough life to make Wilson pass at least a few more times than the Seahawks want him to – let’s say 33 times. If he does so, based off his current averages, he’d be looking at a game with 245 yards and two or three touchdowns. This is in addition to whatever he accumulates on the ground.
Last year, the Seahawks weren’t pressured at all and Wilson had a solid game. This year, expect Wilson to be forced to make a few more plays, resulting in a greater fantasy outing. Even if I’m wrong, and Seattle breezes to victory again, Wilson will still deliver.
Chris Lehman is a New Orleans Saints Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisBreezy91, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
