There were victims in the organizational decision of the Seattle Seahawks to trade franchise quarterback Russell Wilson. Likely at the very top of that list is talented wide receiver DK Metcalf, who finds himself in an enviable position despite Seattle starting from scratch with a new offense and journeyman Geno Smith as the starting quarterback.
Below, we look at DK Metcalf‘s 2022 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.
Because Metcalf fell into the 2nd round of the 2019 draft, Seattle doesn’t have a 5th-year option on him. After this season, Seattle has only 3 options — sign him to a mega-deal extension, put the franchise tag on him (which became extremely expensive over the last 6 months with so many wide receivers on the move signing for $20 million or more a year) or let him walk in free agency to the highest bidder.
For a player who has never missed a game and has averaged 72 receptions for 1,057 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first 3 seasons, that is a tantalizing prospect.
DK Metcalf’s ADP: 53.57
(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)
If not for the loss of Wilson, Metcalf would likely be a top-10 pick among wide receivers and a clear WR1 on somebody’s draft board because he is just that gifted with his combination of size, strength and incredible speed. However, with Wilson gone, Metcalf’s stock has dropped to the point that not only is he part of the wide receiver run in the 6th round of 10-player league drafts, he is the 21st-ranked player at his position, which makes him a WR3.
He finds himself sandwiched in the middle of the blitz on wide receivers in his ADP area. He’s behind Courtland Sutton (Denver Broncos) at 50.67 and Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) at 51.55 and in front of Adam Thielen (Minnesota Vikings) at 54.58 and Brandin Cooks (Houston Texans) at 55.74.
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DK Metcalf’s 2021 stats
Games: 17
Receptions | targets: 75 | 129
Receiving yards: 967
Receiving touchdowns: 12
Where should you draft Metcalf?
I may have a different take than most on Metcalf’s value. While I would love to land him as a WR3, those who take him may not be doing so to see him go sleepless in Seattle.
Because the Seahawks have no hammer to hold over his head like they do with the 5th-year option on 1st round picks, I could easily see a team at the trade deadline making a serious offer — a 1st-round pick with a lower pick or 2 thrown in — to get Metcalf to come to a contender. I don’t see Seattle paying the kind of money needed to keep him if the offense is going to sputter with a dogs like Smith or Drew Lock at the helm of the ship.
I can definitely envision a contender trading for Metcalf, seeing the value in signing him to a long-term deal — Green Bay and Kansas City come immediately to mind — to land a player who has 158 receptions for 2,270 yards and 22 touchdowns in the last 2 seasons. He is young, durable and insanely talented and can be a foundational piece in an offense.
His current draft value is in the right neighborhood, but, if you already have 2 wide receivers to ride it out until the trade deadline, grab Metcalf ASAP when he would be your WR3 and figure out later which of the 2 guys in front of him on your roster gets benched.
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