It's a very important week for the Seahawks as they attempt to hold onto the No. 5 playoff seed in the NFC against a regularly tough opponent, the St. Louis Rams. For many Fantasy owners, the stakes don't get any higher than this week, as the greater percentage of seasonal participants are vying for their Super Bowl championships. Those who have been riding the memorable wave of the Seahawks passing game can certainly enter their big game with a lot of confidence that they can indeed win it all this time.
Russell Wilson has led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win and back-to-back NFC Championships in the past two seasons. He also was a key player on many Fantasy championship teams during those 2013 and 2014 campaigns. Wilson was a major Fantasy producer in the past two seasons because of his solid passing production combined with his outstanding rushing numbers for a QB. This year, though, Wilson has made even more advancements as a pure passer, and his incredible and historic run over the past five games have catapulted a lot of Fantasy teams into their championship game this week.
Wilson has totaled an amazing 153.05 Fantasy points over the past five games and now has vaulted to third among all Fantasy quarterbacks for the entire season with 295.72 total NFL.com points for 2015. In recent weeks, he has soared past top standouts such as Carson Palmer, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees on the overall Fantasy QB scoring ladder on NFL.com. The good news is that his owners should expect the roll to continue this week at home against the Rams.
St. Louis held Wilson to 15.14 Fantasy points on NFL.com in the 2015 season opener, but obviously the Seahawks passing game has made great strides since then and will be much tougher to contain. The Rams rank 21st in passing yards per game allowed, and opposing passers have completed 67.6 percent of their passes against them, which puts St. Louis at 28th in the league in that category. The Rams have totaled 36 sacks, but had none against Tampa Bay last week and the Seattle offensive line has been ultra-sturdy since Patrick Lewis took over for good at center in mid-November. Wilson is a great bet to throw more than two TD passes again and is ready to help you win it all this week.
While Wilson has flown quickly to the upper Fantasy echelons at his position over the past month-plus, Doug Baldwin has naturally zipped to his own lofty spot among the very best players at his position. Baldwin is now firmly entrenched as a Fantasy WR1 after scoring 122.0 standard Fantasy points on NFL.com over his past six games. Baldwin has emerged as a must-start Fantasy force recently and is now ranked seventh overall at WR on NFL.com with 168.50 Fantasy points for the season. With the best Fantasy statistical run of his career, Baldwin has now outscored major Fantasy names such as A.J. Green, Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas. He has started to draw comparisons to longtime Panthers and Ravens superstar Steve Smith, who has been a top-notch Fantasy producer for most of his career.
The Rams allow only 17.84 standard Fantasy Points Per Game to opposing wide receivers on NFL.com, the fourth-fewest among the league's defenses. But Baldwin has produced to the point where you cannot sit him in any matchup, as the Seahawks will still likely lean heavily on the passing game and he is undoubtedly the prime playmaker for Wilson. The two have a terrific and rock-solid on-field relationship that has been built over four seasons together, and now is not the time to start second-guessing starting Baldwin when you need him the most. He is looking matchup proof and simply must be in your lineup as you play for the league title.
As we indicated in the preseason, Tyler Lockett was a candidate to break out later in the season, and that is exactly what has happened. He has scored 33.90 standard Fantasy points on NFL.com over the past two weeks and has emerged as a regular Fantasy WR3 candidate. He is a viable starting option again as Wilson often looks to hit him quickly and let him use his after-the-catch skills to extend plays and build his Fantasy numbers. Because Wilson is playing so well, Lockett is getting the opportunity to blossom and is a strong Fantasy starting candidate again.
Jermaine Kearse caught seven passes for 110 yards last week against the Browns and will continue to draw frequent targets as defenses give a heavy dose of attention to the sizzling Baldwin. He is definitely worth starting consideration in deeper PPR formats, and as Seahawks fans well know, Kearse is capable of delivering a big play at any time when the Seahawks are playing in an important game.
The Rams allow 19.46 standard Fantasy Points Per Game to opposing running backs, ninth-most among league defenses. They also surrender 118.1 rushing yards per game, which ranks 23rd in the NFL. Christine Michael made a successful return to Seattle last week, rushing for 84 yards on 16 carries, displaying good vision and patience. With so many Fantasy teams dealing with key RB injuries at this time of the year, he is definitely worth adding to your roster as a possible Week 16 plug-in.
Steven Hauschka scored 12 Fantasy points last week and ranks sixth among all kickers on NFL.com with 118.00 points. He should be good for at least two field goals this week. The Rams average 17.2 points per game, the second-lowest in the NFL, which makes the Seahawks defense an outstanding start again this week. St. Louis ranks last in the league in passing offense and the Seahawks will focus mainly on containing outstanding rookie RB Todd Gurley. LBs Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright will be among the keys to another successful defensive performance.
In other games, Blake Bortles has a very good matchup against the Saints defense and is one of the better QB starts of the week. Matthew Stafford should deliver another quality outing as he faces the 49ers. Kirk Cousins is a streaming option as he takes on the Eagles.
Charchandrick West has a very good matchup with the Chiefs. Latavius Murray is a solid starting option against the Chargers. Look for a rebound game from Lamar Miller against the Colts. Danny Woodhead is a fine PPR start in the same game after last week's four-TD outing. Bilal Powell should be busy against New England and is a good PPR flex start.
DeSean Jackson will be highly motivated to make big plays in a major NFC East showdown with the Eagles. Allen Hurns should be locked into lineups as he faces the Saints. Willie Snead is a very good PPR start in the same game. Kamar Aiken is a terrific WR3 start vs. the Steelers.
Julius Thomas is one of the top TE starts of the week as the Jaguars should score frequently against the Saints. Will Tye (vs. Minnesota) and Zach Ertz (vs. Washington) are solid PPR options. The Bengals defense is a good streaming option against the Broncos, and also consider Buffalo at home against Dallas.
Visit RotoExperts.com this week for more Fantasy Super Bowl week coverage from Scott Engel and his team. You can also watch Scott on the RotoExperts Morning show on the Fantasy Sports Network (FNTSY), available to stream on AppleTV, Xbox One and Xbox 360.
The Seahawks returned to CenturyLink Field for their Week 15 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, with all the holiday excitement from the 12s to locker room captured by team photographer Rod Mar.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, sporting camo Bose headphones, pauses for a selfie with fans before heading back to the locker room after early pregame warmups.
Receiver Tyler Lockett only slows down to acknowledge 12s, as he did when sprinting back to the locker room after getting loose 90 minutes before kickoff.
Defensive coordinator Kris Richard greets cornerback Richard Sherman in the locker room before the defense took the field for pregame warmups.
Linebacker K.J. Wright carefully applies tape to his fingers in the locker room before the game.
Defensive lineman Brandon Mebane addresses the Seahawks moments before they left their locker room to take the field against the visiting Cleveland Browns.
Defensive end Michael Bennett went to the "dark side" before the game, donning a Darth Vader mask for his pregame introduction.
Cornerback Richard Sherman salutes 12s all over CenturyLink Field as he is introduced.
Safety Kelcie McCray, making his first start, wasted no time in making his presence known, stopping Cleveland's Duke Johnson, Jr. for a one-yard loss on the game's opening play from scrimmage.
Seahawks receiver Kevin Smith tries to make a falling, juggling catch after taking contact from a Cleveland defender while the ball was in the air.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and assistant receivers coach Nate Carroll react after a pass intended for receiver Kevin Smith fell incomplete after contact between Smith and a Cleveland defender.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson readies to throw a three-yard touchdown pass to receiver Doug Baldwin while lineman Patrick Lewis and Justin Britt provide a clean pocket.
Receiver Doug Baldwin celebrates his first touchdown of the game with Seahawks mascot "Blitz".
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell congratulates receiver Doug Baldwin after Seattle's first touchdown of the game.
Seahawks fans brought the noise in an attempt to rattle Cleveland quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Seahawks defensive lineman Brandon Mebane breaks through to sack Cleveland quarterback Johnny Manziel in the first quarter.
Seahawks defensive lineman Brandon Mebane reacts to his sack by breaking out his signature "belly roll" as teammate Michael Bennett joins the celebration.
The Sea Gals were in holiday spirits for the final game before Christmas.
Seahawks running back Bryce Brown looks for a hole in the red zone.
Seahawks running back Christine Michael runs over Cleveland's Donte Whitner in the second quarter.
These fans in the south end zone found ways to stay both spirited and warm, dressed in holiday hats and sweaters for the game.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson's first touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin went to the left side, and in the second quarter the duo paired up on the right. Wilson threw over blitzing Cleveland linebacker Karlos Dansby to Baldwin for a six-yard touchdown.
Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin outraces Cleveland's Johnson Bademosi to the end zone for his second touchdown of the game and his tenth touchdown in four games.
At halftime, CenturyLink Field and the cityscape looked lovely, as a sun break showed off all of Seattle's beauty.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, with plenty of room to throw thanks to the protection of lineman Alvin Bailey, Justin Britt and Patrick Lewis on the left side, fires a pass to a streaking Tyler Lockett for a 27-yard touchdown.
Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett hauls in a 27-yard touchdown reception over Cleveland's Johnson Bademosi at the beginning of the fourth quarter, giving Seattle a 27-10 lead.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll reacts after Russell Wilson connected with Tyler Lockett for a 27-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
12s. They come in all shapes and sizes. And hats. And sunglasses.
Seahawks running back Bryce Brown breaks up the middle for a first down. In place of injured Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Rawls, the Seahawks gained 182 yards rushing in the victory over Cleveland.
Quarterback Russell Wilson escapes the pocket for a 16-yard gain in the fourth quarter.
Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka kicked three field goals in the 30-13 win over the Browns.
Seahawks defensive backs Marcus Burley and Kelcie McCray smile on the Seattle sidelines near the end of the game. Burley had an interception and McCray led the Seahawks in tackles.
After the game, quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Johnny Manziel met near midfield.
Michael Bennett, who often refers to himself as "Black Santa", got into the holiday spirit with the Sea Gals after the game.
Michael Bennett dances to the cheers of the 12s as he makes his way to the locker room after the game.
Head coach Pete Carroll address the Seahawks after the victory, which clinched the team a playoff spot for the fourth consecutive season.
Michael Bennet, left, urged Seahawks vice-president of football administration Matt Thomas into joining the team for it's post-game breakdown in the middle of the locker room.
Quarterback Russell Wilson addresses the media after the game. Wilson threw three touchdown passes with no interceptions for the fifth straight game, the first time an NFL quarterback has ever done so.
Well after the game, CenturyLink Field glowed brightly in holiday and Seahawks colors as the December moon shone overhead.
