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Seattle Seahawks Week 15 Analysis

December 13, 2006 @ 16:00:00

By Nicholas Minnix
Edited by Ryan Dodson

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VS SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

The Seattle Seahawks didn't expect to take steps backwards once they had all of their offensive stars healthy. Instead, the Seahawks (8-5) fell to the Arizona Cardinals by the score of 27-21 in Week 14. Now they're likely to be without another key player on offense, at least for this week. Can Seattle still handle the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers (5-8) in a primetime meeting Thursday? One would think so, but as the Seahawks learned last week, there's no such thing as a gimme in the National Football League.

PASSING MATCHUP: QUARTERBACKS

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck took a couple of games to get back into the swing of things, but fantasy owners had to love his return to normalcy. In Week 14 Hasselbeck passed for 243 yards and three touchdowns without a pick. In the past four weeks (three games) he has completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 189 yards, two touchdowns and 1.33 interceptions per game. He might miss the presence of wide receiver Darrell Jackson (toe), but Hass has burned the 49ers plenty of times before. Hasselbeck should serve you well as a No. 1 passer in Week 15.

Since Week 11 the 49ers have allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw for 240 yards, 1.5 touchdowns and one interception per game.

RUSHING MATCHUP: RUNNING BACKS

Running back Shaun Alexander hasn't been the touchdown machine he was last season, but he has piled up the yards. Sunday he rushed 22 times for 76 yards and caught two passes for six yards, a disappointing effort against a pretty poor run defense. Since Week 11, though, Alexander has averaged 101 rushing yards, 2.5 receiving yards, one reception and 0.3 touchdowns per game. During that stretch the team has utilized him 28 times (41 percent), including 3.3 times in the red zone (50 percent) and 0.5 times inside the 5, per game. Alexander is a strong play this week as a No. 1 back.

Running back Maurice Morris isn't involved much with Alexander at full strength. He rushed four times for 12 yards and caught a pass for minus-5 yards against Arizona. In the last four games Morris has tallied just 6.3 total yards per game, without scoring. Seattle has utilized him just 3.8 times per game (5.7 percent) in that time, and none of those times came in the red zone. In Week 15 Morris is a weak play and should ride your fantasy pine.

Fullback Mack Strong rides in a boat similar to Morris'. Sunday he had three catches for 12 yards. In the past four weeks Seattle has utilized Strong 3.8 times (5.7 percent), including 0.3 times in the red zone (3.9 percent) and 0.3 times inside the 5, per game. He has notched 1.8 receptions and 18 total yards per game during that span. Strong is a weak play, so bench him for this contest.

In the last four games San Fran has given up 130 yards and 1.3 touchdowns rushing to running back. They have also allowed seven receptions, 65 yards and 0.3 touchdowns receiving to the position during that time.

RECEIVING MATCHUP PART I: WIDE RECEIVERS

Jackson (toe) isn't expected to play in Seattle's Thursday night matchup with San Francisco. He has averaged 4.3 receptions, 62 yards and 0.8 touchdowns per game over the last four weeks and is tied for the league lead in touchdowns by a wideout, so somebody else will likely need to step up.

Wide receiver Deion Branch seems to be the most likely candidate. Sunday he caught three passes for 54 yards. In the past four weeks he has averaged 4.3 receptions, 57 yards and 0.3 touchdowns per game. During that time period Seattle has targeted him 8.3 times (12 percent), including 0.3 times in the red zone (3.9 percent), per game. Branch is a strong play this week, especially with the absence of Jackson, so he could serve as a No. 1 receiver for you this week.

Wideout D.J. Hackett is the team's No. 3 receiver, and he'll probably remain in that role for the game Thursday. Sunday he caught four balls for 104 yards and score. Since Week 11 the Seahawks have targeted him 4.5 times (6.8 percent), including 0.3 times in the red zone (3.9 percent), per game. He has parlayed those looks into three receptions, 51 yards and 0.5 touchdowns per game. Wide receiver Nate Burleson is expected to start in Jackson's spot, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Hackett get more looks. Hackett is a strong play as a low No. 2 or high No. 3 this week.

As mentioned, Burleson should start for Jackson. He caught just one pass against the Cardinals, but it went for a touchdown. In the past four weeks the team has targeted Burleson 2.5 times (3.8 percent), including 0.5 times in the red zone (7.7 percent) and 0.3 times inside the 5, per game. In that time he has averaged 1.8 receptions, 13 yards and 0.3 touchdowns per game. Burleson's value increases quite a bit with D-Jax out. He's a strong play and could be used as a No. 3 this week.

Since Week 11 the wide receivers have averaged 12 catches, 160 yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game against the 49ers.

RECEIVING MATCHUP PART II: TIGHT ENDS

Tight end Jerramy Stevens hasn't been as big a contributor to the offense as fantasy owners might've hoped. Sunday he caught just one pass for seven yards. In the last four games he has caught just 1.3 balls per game for 10 yards and 0.3 touchdowns per game. The team has targeted him 3.8 times (5.7 percent), including 0.3 times in the red zone (3.9 percent) and 0.3 times inside the 5, per game. Stevens doesn't seem to be involved much, and because he's a weak play, you're better off leaving him on your bench.

In the last four weeks San Francisco has been incredibly tough on the position, limiting opposing tight ends to 1.5 receptions, 16 yards and no touchdowns per game.

KICKING MATCHUP

Place kicker Josh Brown has been one of the best fantasy kickers in the game for the past few weeks, despite a couple of misses. Sunday wasn't his day, though, because he only recorded three extra points and didn't get a field goal attempt. Since Week 11 he has attempted 2.8 extra points and 2.3 field goals per game. He has 1.8 field goals per game in that time. Brown comes recommended as a low-end No. 1 or injury-replacement kicker for Week 15.

Since Week 11 the 49ers have given up 2.8 extra point attempts and 1.8 field goal attempts per game to opposing place kickers. The position hasn't missed a kick during that stretch.

DEFENSIVE MATCHUP

Seattle's defense has had its ups and downs this year. In the last four game the unit has yielded 21 offensive points per game. The team has only recorded 1.3 sacks per game during that time, but it has also come up with 1.3 fumble recoveries and 1.5 interceptions per game. In addition, the Seahawks defense has taken one turnover to the end zone since Week 11. This week, though, Seattle's defense is a weak play and should remain on your fantasy bench.

The 49ers offense hasn't been terrible, but it hasn't been very good either. Since Week 11 they have averaged 17 offensive points per game. During that time they have given up 1.5 sacks, 0.8 fumble recoveries and 1.8 interceptions to the opposing defense. Running back Frank Gore has been phenomenal recently, but the rest of the offense, led by quarterback Alex D. Smith, hasn't given Gore much backup.