Impact Analysis: Questions surround Seattle Seahawks WRs

May 21, 2008 @ 14:30:33

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Herija C. Green

For a coach who cut his teeth as the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers' high-octane offense from 1989-1991, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren will enter this season with considerable uncertainty in his receiving corps.

The team let wide receiver D.J. Hackett (Carolina Panthers) walk in free agency; wide receiver Deion Branch (knee) is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in last year's NFC divisional playoff game; wideout Bobby Engram has skipped voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) in search of more money and receiver Nate Burleson has failed to live up to expectations since signing with the team in 2005.

However, the team must feel comfortable with the group they have going forward as they did not sign any free-agent receivers, nor did they draft any wideouts. It should make for an interesting camp as Holmgren tries to figure out the receiving corps for what is expected to be his final year in charge.

Who is in play

Engram was the only Seahawks receiver to top 1,000 yards last year. He finished the season with 94 receptions for 1,147 yards and six touchdowns - by far the best numbers of his career. However, he has asked for a new contract this year and did not show up for voluntary OTAs. This should not affect his ability on the field as he already has a good rapport with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. He is a candidate to start as the slot receiver, assuming he doesn't continue to hold out.

Burleson was a force in basic scoring leagues last year. He managed just 694 receiving yards but reached the red zone nine times in 2007. However, he has never shown the same ability since his breakout 2004 campaign, when he caught 68 passes for 1,006. He likely will start at split end in the upcoming season.

Losing Branch was a blow in the playoffs last year. Since joining the Seahawks in 2006, he has averaged 693 yards and four touchdowns per season. According to Holmgren, Branch is ahead of schedule in his rehab, but he is still not guaranteed to be ready for the start of the season. If he does return to the lineup, expect him to start as the team's flanker, though it could take him some time to shake off the rust. He is someone that could come on strong in the second half of the season.

With Engram missing from the early camp, and Branch still out, it allowed the team some chances to run out their young receivers for a few more repetitions than usual.

The first receiver of the young guys is Courtney Taylor. A sixth-round pick in 2007, Taylor has all the tools to be a solid third or fourth receiver. He is best working underneath and is not a great deep threat. This could have him ticketed for a role similar to the departed Hackett. Taylor caught just five passes last year, but he only appeared in eight games. He should see more touches with Hackett gone and Branch out. He is a candidate to win a regular job this year, especially if Branch misses time to start the season.

The second name in the battle for a receiving job is Ben Obomanu, a former collegiate teammate of Taylor at Auburn University. Yet another low-round pick, Obomanu made it into 13 games last year, catching 12 passes for 180 yards. He has received some reps with the first-team offense in camp so far. He is expected to challenge for a third or fourth spot on the depth chart.

The team also has wideout Logan Payne in the mix for job. He was a practice squad player last year who has been getting time with the first-string offense during OTAs. He has never taken a snap at the professional level, so it could be a stretch to expect him to make much of an impact this year.

One should also note receiver Jordan Kent. He is another sixth-round draft pick that is a very raw prospect, but he could be a solid contributor down the road. He is a former track and basketball star at the University of Oregon who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 219 pounds. He possesses excellent speed and decent leaping ability from his basketball days. However, he focused on basketball for a large part of his collegiate career and could take some time to learn the position.

What else is in play

A few other factors could come into play with the Seahawks receivers. First, Holmgren has never been shy about airing it out, and he has no reason to leave anything on the table in his final year. The team tied for second in the league with 36.9 passing attempts per game last year. The only question is whether or not he has the horses to make his passing offense gel.

Second, the team has some uncertainty at running back entering training camp. Offensive coordinator Gil Haskell has yet to decide how he will divvy up the carries and it is not certain how the two new running backs - Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett - will adapt to Seattle. If they help lift Seattle's sagging rushing attack, it should open up things in the passing game.

Finally, the team drafted a solid pass-catcher in tight end John Carlson. Rookie tight ends rarely contribute, but if they can get anything from this position - tight ends Will Heller and Jeb Putzier have looked good in camp as well - it should open up things for the receivers. Holmgren has always valued a tight end that can both catch and block, which has been missing from his offense after possessing All-Pro tight ends in San Francisco and with the Green Bay Packers.

Fantasy football outlook

For fantasy purposes, the only players in this report with value at the moment are those with experience. Provided he plays, Engram should be considered a decent No. 3 with mild upside while Burleson can be viewed as a No. 4 with little upside.

It is hard to gauge Branch's value until he is back in uniform; something that might not happen until the regular season is well underway. If he is able to return then consider him a decent No. 4 receiver with good upside later in the season. His injury occurred at the end of the 2007 season, so he could come on later in the season. However, given that his injury happened so late, Branch beginning the year on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list is not unlikely. He could even spend the entire season on Injured Reserve. He is a very risky pick at this juncture, and one we'd advise staying away from if at all possible.

Finally, none of the younger receivers should be counted on just yet; however, with good camps, Taylor or Obomanu could be viable sleeper candidates with Obomanu the favorite to earn some sneaky fantasy value.

KFFLians are saying....

Comment

 

---

What do you think? We want to hear from you!

Name: E-mail: Please, enter the number that you see

Comment Guidelines

Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

Talk Sports 24/7!
KFFL Sports Forums: Over 24,000 strong and growing!

Fantasy football players in the news (05/25)
I am not afraid of Hakeem Nicks' foot injury (05/24)
Fantasy football players in the news (05/24)
Fantasy football players in the news (05/23)
Fantasy Football: Philadelphia Eagles D will fly again (05/22)
Fantasy football players in the news (05/22)
Fantasy football players in the news (05/21)
Fantasy football players in the news (05/18)
Ryan Mathews could be the No. 1 fantasy football back this year (05/17)
Possible Injured Reserve rule change would impact fantasy football (05/17)