Game Analysis

This NFC West divisional showdown features two teams who were big surprises last season.

The Seahawks performed better than expected, going 9-8 and making the playoffs, while the Rams followed up their Super Bowl victory by winning just five games last season. 

Each team will look to get the season started on the right note, and there should be plenty of fantasy points to go around in this one. The game total of 47 is the fourth highest of Week 1, and both teams are stronger on offense than they are on defense.

The Rams' offense is expected to lean heavily on Cooper Kupp and Cam Akers and should be more explosive with a healthy Matthew Stafford under center. Kupp is aiming to pick up where he left off last season as the WR1 in PPR points per game when healthy. 

In the eight games last season when Stafford and Kupp were both on the field, the Rams top receiver was pretty impressive:

• 101.6 receiving yards per game
• Five separate finishes as a top-five WR
• His worst weekly finish was WR22

The other top options in this offense include Tyler Higbee and Van Jefferson, who have a shot to provide stream-worthy upside in a number of weeks this season due to the projected passing volume for a Rams team that is likely to be playing from behind often. 

Aug 26, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) greets offensive players following a touchdown during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

On the other side, the Seahawks enter 2023 full of talent and expectations. A case can be made for Seattle’s skill position players as the most talented group in the league. An already dangerous group of DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Kenneth Walker was joined by incoming rookies Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet to give Geno Smith a loaded arsenal of weapons.

For his part, Smith was the most accurate QB in football last season, leading the league in completion percentage (min. 100 attempts) and producing a top-10 scoring offense. Now in his second year at the helm of the offense, Seattle has serious playoff aspirations in a relatively weak NFC. 

The main question for the Seahawks offense is how many of these playmakers Geno Smith can support to the extent that they can pay off their lofty ADPs in fantasy drafts. Seattle is one of the rare teams where essentially all of their fantasy-relevant players are being drafted highly, and there are likely to be some guys who disappoint as a result. 

The only real injury concern in this game is Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is recovering from a broken wrist. He returned to practice incredibly quickly, but there is a chance Seattle holds him out to start the season. Either way, you probably aren’t starting JSN, while both Metcalf and Lockett should be in your lineup to start the year. 

From a betting perspective, I think the Seahawks are clearly the more talented team, and I want to be in on them to outperform expectations this season. Add in the home-field advantage, and I fully expect Seattle to win this game.