Fantasy Alert: Seahawks WR DK Metcalf Listed as Week 1 Starter vs. Bengals

Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver DK Metcalf will be thrown straight into the fire. 

Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times shared the team's depth chart for Sunday's season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, and Metcalf is listed as a starting wide receiver alongside Tyler Lockett. Seattle selected Metcalf out of Ole Miss with a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

This marks a quick turnaround for Metcalf, which is encouraging news for those fantasy players who took a late-round flier on him with the hope he can deliver as a low-risk, high-reward playmaker.

Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk noted Metcalf underwent minor surgery on his knee on Aug. 20 but already returned to the practice field Monday.

"He looked good today," head coach Pete Carroll said of the practice, per Condotta. "He had a fantastic recovery. If you can imagine, it was just a couple weeks ago. Fantastic recovery. He looked great out there and today, he was running. He practiced with us throughout the practice."

Metcalf only played in Seattle’s first preseason game against the Denver Broncos and had one catch for eight yards. It wasn’t the type of breakout performance fantasy players were looking for, but he also tallied 26 catches for 569 yards and five touchdowns in just seven games in his final season at Ole Miss.

He figures to play a role in Seattle’s red-zone offense at 6'4" with the ability to high-point passes and beat cornerbacks on fade routes. That he is starting in the season opener means the Seahawks trust him enough to see if he can be a featured piece of the offense beyond just the red zone, increasing his fantasy ceiling.

Unproven rookies are almost always fantasy risks, but the willingness to start Metcalf with little preseason experience means the coaching staff believes he can produce right away.

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