Seahawks vs. Broncos
Seahawks
So, who the heck is going to get carries in Seattle??
My magic eight ball says “ask again later”. Chris Carson sits atop the depth chart, and he got the most work in the preseason – although that’s in part because rookie Rashaad Penny was nursing a finger injury that required surgery. Penny is fine now, so it is anyone’s guess who gets the bulk of the carries under mad scientist Pete Carroll. I’d rather own Carson at this point, only because he has drawn massive praise from teammates and coaches, and he looked solid in the preseason. The stories about Penny’s weight gain are overblown, but I do think the missed time in the preseason has slowed his development. Carson will get more carries on Sunday, and will probably be the back more prominently featured in the passing game – since Penny’s pass protection skills are virtually non-existent.
Don’t forget about Mike Davis, who looked good in a small sample last year, or C.J. Prosise, who has the potential to be an elite pass-catcher if/when he’s healthy.
Is Russell Wilson going to have time to throw the ball this season?
Yes and no. The Seahawks offensive line has improved from last season. That doesn’t mean they are good per se, but they are improved. Duane Brown is a Pro Bowl left tackle who the Seahawks have for a full season. Ethan Pocic is a year older. Justin Britt remains a solid pass-protector, and D.J. Fluker is a massive presence at the right guard. Germain Ifedi is still bad, and the Seahawks weren’t able to replace him. I expect the run-blocking to be much improved, as Fluker is an elite run-blocker and Seattle’s new rookie tight end, Will Dissly, is an elite run-blocker as well.
However, the pass protection is still bad, and Russ will probably have to scramble quite a bit this year. I still think he retains high QB1 value, but Denver’s vaunted pass-rush could cause him some trouble in game one.
Do the Seahawks have a new red zone target?
Jimmy Graham, Paul Richardson, and Luke Willson caught 20 of Seattle’s 34 touchdown passes last season. All three are gone, leaving the Seahawks with a need for a red zone target. Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett are still very solid receivers, but their lack of size makes them tough to trust as red zone options. Jaron Brown, Seattle’s new No. 3 receiver, should take on a Paul Richardson like role next season and will see his fair share of touchdown receptions.
The other big beneficiaries will be tight end Nick Vannett, who will start the first six weeks of the season with Ed Dickson on the non-football injury list. Vannett is a low-end TE2 until the Seahawks demonstrate that he will be a primary red zone target.
Their last option is six-time Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall, who the Seahawks inked to a one-year deal. He is their No. 4 receiver, but at six-foot-five it is clear he will be a big-time option in the red zone. I wouldn’t own any shares of Marshall yet, but I also would not be surprised to see him haul in 10 touchdowns this season, a la Graham last year.
Legion of Whom?
Yeah yeah. We’ve heard them all. The Seahawks will have a new defense next season, although the schemes will look very similar. Earl Thomas is back, which gives this D/ST a big boost. It’s unclear if he will suit up in Game 1, but most expect that he will be in Denver. Frank Clark and rookie Rasheem Green are both formidable pass rushers, and of course Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright are two elite linebackers. Wright will be out against the Broncos, which allows rookie Shaquem Griffin to start. Griffin has looked excellent in the preseason, and it will be fun to see what he does in his first NFL game.
I expect this to be a top-ten defense next season, even with guys like Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril gone. Griffin’s brother Shaquill was very solid last year, Barkevious Mingo is an above-average pass rusher, and Bradley McDougald, while he’s no Chancellor, is a solid strong safety. Those who are tossing this defense aside will be ready to pick them up by midseason.
-Andy Patton
Broncos
Which receiving target do you think will benefit the most with new quarterback, Case Keenum, under center?
After last season, all Broncos’ receivers saw a major reduction in their fantasy value. Both Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders saw their production plummet as the Broncos looked for a serviceable quarterback. This year, Case Keenum adds a reliable arm to the fold. The Broncos have three main receiving weapons that are fantasy relevant right now: Thomas, Sanders, and rookie, Courtland Sutton. Keenum is extremely efficient at throwing the short pass. He was very good at using his slot receiver last season (see Adam Thielen) so I’d expect more of the same. Sanders should be the major beneficiary of Keenum’s strengths. Sanders will line up in the slot, he runs crisp routes, and provides a pair of reliable hands for Keenum’s passes. He sounds an awful lot like Thielen. With the possibility of All-Pro safety, Earl Thomas, missing the opening week, I’d look for Sanders to be safely in the WR2 range this game.
Royce Freeman saw his average draft position skyrocket after an incredible preseason. Towards the end of draft season, Freeman’s ADP was in the early third round. Does this rookie running back have what it takes to validate that draft position this week?
Call me a homer, but I definitely think that Freeman will validate his draft position. Last year, C.J. Anderson was the RB17. Royce Freeman has a better situation than Anderson had. The offensive line has improved. The quarterback has improved. The offensive coordinator is a run-heavy coordinator. Reports show that the Broncos are going to try and control the ball with their running game. I think all signs point towards Freeman having a monster year now that he’s been named the starter for Week 1. Last year, Seattle ranked 19th against the run. I predict that Freeman will start this season on fire and end this first game as a top 10 running back. The only BOOM on the field will be Freeman running over Seattle linebackers on his way to the end zone.
Seattle Seahawks’ QB Russell Wilson finished as the QB1 last season. Can the Denver Broncos shut him down? Or will we have a repeat of Super Bowl XLVIII?
I don’t like to live in the past. As a Broncos fan, that was one of the worst games I have ever watched. That being said, Russell Wilson is an incredible talent. Playing behind a poor offensive line, Wilson is able to create some of the most exciting plays in football. Despite Wilson’s talents, I thoroughly believe the Broncos will do what they do best on defense: sack the quarterback. Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Shaq Barrett, Shane Ray, and DeMarcus Walker will constantly be rotating in to chase Wilson around the field. Seattle has one of the worst rated offensive lines in football, and I think the Broncos will take advantage of that. I believe the Broncos will have a good game on defense purely based on their sack potential. The Broncos are a good play on defense, despite the offensive prowess of the Seahawks.
What is your final score prediction and who is the top fantasy performer for the Broncos?
I believe the Broncos will win the game 20-10. The Broncos will establish their running game early with Royce Freeman being the MVP, rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown. Keenum will play game manager and get his first win in a Broncos uniform on opening week.
-Nick Light
Cards switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3 this season, not the other way around