4 Reasons Why Seahawks Receivers Have Been Criminally Underrated

As the Seahawks score points in bunches unlike any other team in the NFL this season, their duo of star receivers have finally received the attention they deserve. It's been a long time coming in Seattle, where talented receivers have been overlooked for decades. What gives?

There are a few things everyone can agree on in 2020: COVID is awful, voting is important, and the Seahawks have the best passing game in the NFL.

While Russell Wilson solidifies his MVP case week after week, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf have formed the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL. Metcalf has followed up an impressive 900-yard rookie debut with a standout sophomore season that's set to break 1,000 yards well before the end of the year.

After his three touchdown, 200-yard game, Tyler Lockett is finally getting some long-overdue attention for his highlight reel catching ability. But Lockett’s been a solid receiver since he was drafted in 2015, and last year, he saw his best numbers yet. Lockett logged over 1,000 receiving yards last season and secured the second-best catch rate in the NFL, one spot behind 2019 Offensive Player of the Year Michael Thomas. 

Then there's David Moore, a 2017 draftee who has really stepped up his game this year as Wilson's No. 3 receiver. The former seventh-round pick has almost surpassed his total yards in 2019, and his catch rate has jumped from a 50 percent average to 76.5 percent this season.

It's beginning to seem that underrated Seahawks receivers are steeped in legacy: legendary Seahawks receiver Steve Largent is hardly mentioned in Top 5 conversations despite his Hall of Fame status, and Doug Baldwin famously used the chip on his shoulder to fuel incredible performances throughout his career.

To be fair, people have lauded Seahawks players, but it just hasn't been their receivers. Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch was beloved throughout the NFL for his electric aura, and the "Legion of Boom" was an NFL talking point throughout the 2010s. Yet decade after decade, Seahawks receivers have been snubbed of well-deserved credit, and frankly, it's not too clear why that is the case - but here are four reasons it might be happening. 

Quarterbacks Tend to Get the Credit

Russell Wilson has been chronically underrated over the past decade, but he started getting attention last season after leading the Seahawks to a playoff berth for the seventh time. He was voted number two by his peers in the NFL Top 100 list, landing only behind Lamar Jackson, last season's MVP. Wilson has earned the respect and admiration of his fellow players, and as the MVP frontrunner in a season where Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady are making their own cases, the credit Wilson is getting is almost hard to believe after all these years.

Because the Seahawks have a Hall of Fame quarterback, it unfortunately causes people to question the true value of his receivers. The idea here is that Wilson is so good, he could make it work with mediocre receivers - but the inverse of this argument is rarely ever considered. Good quarterbacks make receivers better, but good receivers also make quarterbacks even better.

One stat from Week 6 illustrates this relationship perfectly. When throwing to Lockett, Wilson had a nearly-perfect passer rating of 146.7 this season, which is close to their perfect 2018 numbers. Wilson is a precision passer that can fit a football through a narrow window 60 yards out, but Lockett deserves credit for catching those difficult passes. On his end, Lockett has to read the defense, run his routes perfectly or improvise effectively, and catch balls in tight coverage. Lockett's unbelievable catches have even demonstrated his acrobatic abilities, which is evident in the great ones.

When Lockett and Metcalf make exceptional plays, they get cheers, but the first downs are just as important to an offense. Wilson is magical, but it should be noted that there's always a quality receiver at the end of his rainbows and he has two of the best in the business.

The Seahawks Haven't Passed Enough in the Past

Another reason that Seahawks receivers might be underrated is that they've been underutilized in years past. In 2020, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer decided to let the pigskin fly like never before. In 2018 and 2019, the Seahawks passed on 47 percent of first and second downs in the first three quarters, which was the lowest percentage in the NFL. Through Week 6, the Seahawks passed on 65 percent of first and second downs in the first three quarters, which is the highest percentage in the NFL. Considering that radical change in approach, it makes sense that Seahawks receivers may not have received much fanfare in the past.

Instead, the Seahawks primarily developed a reputation for a bruising run game and defense throughout the 2010s. While Wilson's greatness has been recognized, his receivers haven't gotten much credit for their contributions. The leading receivers in the Seahawks' Super Bowl-winning season, Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin, only got five touchdowns each, and neither got more than 900 receiving yards. While they were a part of that historic team, the defense shone more brightly in the limelight - and it's been the case ever since.

While things are certainly different this season, it’s worth wondering whether such talent on a different team would get more attention. It’s worth wondering whether DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett would get more attention if they played for the Steelers, Cowboys, or another large NFL fanbase. 

Seattle Has a Zealous Fanbase, But a Smaller One

There is a popularity contest in the NFL, which means that some teams get more attention than others, no matter their efficiency that season. For proof of this, one need look no further than the two back-to-back prime time games featuring NFC East divisional matchups: somehow the worst teams in 2020 landed the best spots, largely because they have such prominent fanbases. According to a Statista graph, the Seahawks are the ninth-most liked NFL team on Facebook, which may give an indication to fan base numbers (which would be roughly 3.88 million).

The Seahawks are 9th on this list with 3.88 million Facebook fans, which puts them right behind the Chicago Bears and just ahead of the New York Giants.

Posted by Aryanna Prasad on Tuesday, November 3, 2020

While the energy of the 12s is unmatched (just ask former Lions safety Quandre Diggs), they’re not one of the top NFL fanbases, nor are they one of the older ones. Teams like the Steelers, Packers, and Bears have been around for over 50 years, while the Seahawks were founded in 1974 and started playing in 1976. Seahawks fans are passionate and notably present even at away games, but as far as NFL media goes, their talent isn’t emphasized enough because many viewers may prefer to hear whether the Eagles will win their division or the Cowboys will get it together this season.

Fantasy Football is a Factor

If you picked up Russell Wilson, Tyler Lockett, or DK Metcalf this season, you’re likely destined for playoffs in your fantasy league - that’s what the stats say, at least. In Week 9 fantasy rankings, Wilson is the No. 1 quarterback, while Metcalf is the third-ranked wide receiver with Lockett at a close eighth overall.

But outside of being a major stash in dynasty leagues last year, Metcalf went under the radar fantasy-wise, while Lockett was often treated the way Doug Baldwin was before him. As previously mentioned, the Seahawks weren’t passing as much, and even their running game felt unpredictable because of their committee approach. While the Seahawks backed Chris Carson as their feature back last year, making him a sure fantasy bet, no one fully anticipated the success Metcalf and Lockett would see this year. Even Moore, who makes crucial catches in games, isn’t much of a fantasy player - he only had two games over 10 points this season, and he’s owned in less than two percent of fantasy leagues.

Fantasy value isn’t necessarily reflective of player value or talent, but people tend to talk about Michael Thomas and Julio Jones because they get a lot of points and make people a lot of money - many fantasy owners don’t even watch all of their players’ games. Thomas and Jones are extremely talented and deserve attention for their play, not just their points, but this is a factor as to why people are speaking more about Seahawks receivers.

NFL history is full of underrated greats, but sometimes, it feels like Seahawks history is disproportionately full of them. There’s still a debate about whether Shaun Alexander will make the Hall of Fame, and Baldwin retired without seeing the glory he truly deserved. While 2020 has been good to the Seahawks passing game, let’s hope that the trend continues and Seattle wideouts remain a part of the conversation.