NFL Free Agent Signings Fantasy Football Impact of Sidney Rice to Seattle

The Seahawks have gotten their free-agent prize.  Sidney Rice has agreed to a five-year deal that will give Seattle the No. 1 WR that it has been lacking.

The Seahawks have been trying desperately to get a "stretch the field" option to compliment possession receiver Mike Williams.  With this signing, the front office can celebrate a victory, made sweeter after falling short in trade attempts for Vincent Jackson last season. 

And fantasy football fans can celebrate a new wide receiving pair that will compliment each other well and boost each others' statistics for the upcoming season.

No one on the team will be happier then offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. 

Bevell was with Minnesota for five seasons and knows exactly what he is getting in the former Vikings stud.  In addition, Rice will come into Seattle with a full working knowledge of the system that Bevell will be running during the 2011 season. 

It should be noted that Tavaris Jackson, another new Viking turned Seahawk, will benefit from that same knowledge as the season opens.

Most of the fantasy football community have come out and stated via the blogosphere that the move to Seattle will hurt Rice's value.  I don't believe that.  The days of a moderately fresh Brett Favre chucking the ball around in Minnesota are two years gone. I believe that Rice has gone to a team that will employ a more creative passing attack in Seattle.

I have updated my projection and I have Sidney Rice moving up to spot 25 at the WR position in my fantasy football rankings.  That makes Rice a Tier 3 WR and a very solid WR2 in most fantasy formats.

Note: I am projecting Rice to miss a little time with an injury that will cost him a game or two of production.

Updated Projection for Sidney Rice on the Seahawks: 

• 65 receptions, 965 yards and 5 TDs
• Moves up several spots to WR No. 25
• Tier 3 WR
• Solid WR2/WR3 in most fantasy football formats

For additional fantasy football advice, visit gridiron-guru.com