The physical freak that is DK Metcalf is currently dealing with some knee issues that required surgery on Tuesday. His draft stock for the actual NFL took a hit based on his prior injury history, and now his fantasy draft stock is also in question with this news that will keep him out the remainder of preseason. However, the Seahawks are saying he *should* be ready for Week 1. About two months ago, Metcalf was going around 8.10 and now we’re looking at an ADP of 10.04, which is steadily dropping.
The former Ole Miss product is known for his vertical prowess and deep ball tracking, but a lot of attention arose from his seemingly slow 3-cone drill and agility testing. His route running wasn’t exactly labeled as precise or fluid unless it was in a straight line going deep. A bigger specimen like Metcalf can dominate inferior competition in college, but there are questions now that he’ll be facing football’s best.
However, the opportunity is bound to be there for Metcalf this year. The Seahawks lost veteran Doug Baldwin and his 73 targets from last season which should factor into Metcalf’s looks. Baldwin was a 100+ target guy three years straight before 2018 so to say he was a big part of the offense would be an understatement. Now his targets need to be spread around to the likes of Metcalf, WR1 Tyler Lockett and other members of the Seahawks offense. There were no big splashes made in free agency to Seattle’s skill positions so Metcalf is still expected to lineup wide in two receiver sets. He’s a solid bet to have the second highest targets on the team behind Lockett, and with his size and strength could be a serious red zone weapon. The hype seems to have cooled off on Metcalf post draft, but don’t let this absolute beast fall too far down your radar. Even for the NFL’s run heaviest team, QB Russell Wilson can still sling it with the best of them.
The Wolf doesn’t seem too worried about Metcalf’s injury, as he still has him as his WR53 (+7 vs ECR).
