Seattle Seahawks vs Atlanta Falcons
The final score of this game may have only been 27-20 in favor of the Seahawks, but for almost the entire game the Seahawks were in complete control. The Seahawks were ahead 24-0 in the first half and were having no problem moving the ball down the field in whatever manner they chose, but added just three points in the second half thanks to a conservative gameplan and an improved pass rush from the Falcons (probably aided by what appears to be a torn ACL for Seahawks center Justin Britt). On the other hand, the Falcons did not score until the third quarter but were very effective once they got rolling. If not for an untimely fumble by Devonta Freeman, two missed field goals, and an unlucky bounce that led to their onside kick going out of bounds, the Falcons may have been able to take advantage of the decision by the Seahawks to take their foot off the gas and complete their comeback. The time of possession in this game was very even, with the Falcons possessing the ball for 30:47 and the Seahawks possessing the ball for 29:13.
Seattle Seahawks
Quarterback
- Russell Wilson: 14/20, 182 yards, 2 TDs | 4 carries, 4 yards
Russell Wilson looked poised for a big game after a strong first half that included two easy touchdown passes to D.K. Metcalf, but after taking a 24 point lead into halftime the Seahawks took a conservative approach in the second half. Wilson was efficient and made several impressive throws to Tyler Lockett, but it’s hard for any quarterback to have a strong fantasy day with only 20 passing attempts. The Falcons did get a little pressure on Wilson in the second half, particularly after starting center Justin Britt suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury, but Wilson’s lack of production in the second half appeared to mostly be due to the game plan. Wilson is not running the ball as much as he has in years past, and with Seattle’s tendency to take the air out of the ball when they get a lead his floor is not as high as some of the other top quarterback options. He remains a top-ten fantasy quarterback, but be aware that in matchups where the Seahawks project to be able to get a big lead early their preferred approach is to run the ball out and limit how much Wilson throws the ball.
Running Backs
- Chris Carson: 20 carries, 90 yards, 1 TD | 1 target, 0 receptions
- Rashaad Penny: 8 carries, 55 yards
The Seattle backfield was comprised of just Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny with C.J. Prosise sitting out as a healthy scratch. Carson dominated the touches but both running backs looked impressive today. Penny, in particular, had two nice cutbacks that led to significant gains, while Carson displayed more power on his runs and scored a touchdown from 1-yard out. Penny was used just to relieve Carson and wasn’t being subbed in for any particular packages, so don’t expect Penny to significantly eat into Carson’s workload. Still, it was encouraging to see Penny look good as a runner after not touching the ball last week. Carson remains a clear top-ten running back, while Penny is still only a handcuff to Carson.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Tyler Lockett: 6 targets, 6 receptions, 100 yards
- D.K. Metcalf: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 13 yards, 2 TDs
- David Moore: 4 targets, 1 reception, 23 yards | 1 carry, 2 yards
- Jacob Hollister: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 18 yards
D.K. Metcalf doubled his touchdown total for the season, catching two short scores and nearly coming down with a third. Both touchdown plays saw Metcalf get wide open and he appeared to be the primary read, which is encouraging for his red-zone usage going forward. He was quiet aside from the two first-half touchdowns, but like the rest of the passing attack, he was a victim of the Seahawks taking a conservative approach to the second half. Tyler Lockett was able to get open on what seemed like every crossing route he ran and continues to be Russell Wilson’s go-to target. The other parts of the passing game were quiet given the lack of volume to go around, and it does not appear any of the tight ends will be filling the vacuum left behind by the injured Will Dissly.
Atlanta Falcons
Quarterback
- Matt Schaub: 39/52, 460 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Matt Ryan missed this game with an injury but Matt Schaub was able to step in admirably for him. Schaub had one throw that sailed straight into the hands of a defensive back that was dropped and tried to force a ball over the middle that resulted in an interception but otherwise played a strong game. He relied mostly on quick passing plays and took what the defense gave him, but that should be enough to make Schaub a viable streaming option for as long as Ryan sits out and preserve the fantasy value of all of the Atlanta weapons. His final yard total is inflated by the Falcons needing to play catch up for the entire second half and the Seahawks playing less aggressive defense, but given the state of the Falcons, they should find themselves in that type of situation often going forward.
Running Backs
- Devonta Freeman: 13 carries, 39 yards | 8 targets, 8 receptions, 63 yards
- Brian Hill: 3 carries, 29 yards, 1 TD
- Kenjon Barner: 1 carry, 1 yard
Devonta Freeman couldn’t get much going as a runner and the Falcons mostly abandoned the run in the second half, but he saw the majority of the backfield work and was effective as a receiver. He did have a costly fumble on the goal line while trying to fight for extra yards to kill a drive that would have pulled the Falcons within one score with plenty of time left, but he was effective as a safety valve for Matt Schaub. Brian Hill took advantage of his limited time on the field, taking a pitch to the left 23 yards for a touchdown. He probably remains behind Ito Smith, who sat out this game with a concussion, and neither player should prevent Freeman from seeing the bulk of the work out of the backfield. Freeman can be viewed as an RB2, with Smith remaining his most likely handcuff assuming Smith returns from injury.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
- Julio Jones: 12 targets, 10 receptions, 152 yards
- Calvin Ridley: 7 targets, 4 receptions, 70 yards
- Russell Gage: 9 targets, 7 receptions, 58 yards
- Justin Hardy: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 23 yards
- Austin Hooper: 7 targets, 6 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TD
After the Falcons traded Mohamed Sanu to the Patriots earlier this week this game was our first look at the new-look target distribution for the Falcons. Julio Jones seemed to line up inside with Sanu’s slot role vacated, and Jones was Schaub’s favorite target. He did most of his damage on short and intermediate routes, and it looks like he’ll be just fine while Matt Ryan recovers from his injury. Russell Gage appears to be the receiver taking Sanu’s place in three-receiver sets, he did all of his work close to the line of scrimmage and is someone to keep an eye on as a possible bye-week fill in. Austin Hooper and Calvin Ridley seemed to keep the same roles they had, with Hooper adding a nice touchdown catch in traffic at the goal line. Ridley should see a more consistent role with Sanu in New England, and this may be your last chance to buy-low on him.
- Dan Adams