Injuries decimated the Seahawks' 2008 season as players up and down the roster went on Injured Reserve. The good news is that nearly all of those players are coming back at 100 percent, and the club added some quality talent on both sides of the ball to improve their roster.
The biggest offensive splash made was the signing of wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, putting a big, sure-handed target into a receiving corps dominated by speedsters. Houshmandzadeh has 1,000-yard potential only because he has 100-catch potential, but he'll provide a safe outlet for quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (who was one of the walking wounded Seahawks last year) to lean on.
The Seahawks had two major defensive developments: The drafting of linebacker Aaron Curry and the acquiring of defensive tackle Cory Redding from Detroit. Both players should be key figures in stopping the run, something the 'Hawks couldn't do much of last season, allowing 118.7 yards per game. They join a defense loaded with big-name talent that struggled last year, with Patrick Kerney and Lofa Tatupu being the primary names.
But the biggest change is at head coach, where Jim Mora Jr., takes over for Mike Holmgren, who left the team after a 10-year run. Mora, who was the team's secondary coach last year, has the experience to take over for Holmgren. He's enlisted in Greg Knapp to run the offense -- the two were in Atlanta together -- and will help coordinator Casey Bradley work with the defense. The coaching transition is one of several across the league, but there could be small issues here and there as the offense learns a modified version of their playbook.
Sleeper ... Matt Hasselbeck, QB
If you're a diligent Fantasy Football owner who does a lot of research before Draft Day, you should know better than to judge Hasselbeck on his 2008 campaign. Never once in the seven games he appeared in did he have his full complement of receivers to throw to, nor did he have a good running game to help him out. Granted, he didn't have a great run game when he posted career-highs in 2007, but that was what helped him get such great totals. The feeling here is that with the addition of Houshmandzadeh and the returns of Nate Burleson, Deion Branch and John Carlson, Hasselbeck will have enough options to target that he can't help but rack up a bunch of yardage, especially with the running game unimproved from a season ago. Expectations are fairly high, and the potential is there for him to end up as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback if he can stay on the field.
Breakout ... John Carlson, TE
Even with a crowded receiving corps, Carlson should continue his rise up the tight end ranks. Last year he was pretty much the only constant in the Seattle offense, catching five touchdowns on 55 receptions for 627 yards, all team-highs. Naturally, he's going to lose a lot of looks this year with the receiving corps healthy and improved, but he'll also see easier coverage since defenses will have to shift defensive backs away from him. He's going to cause some nightmares for defensive coordinators again this season and should see more looks in the end zone. Carlson ended last year as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end and remains a good one to target after the elite names go off the board in drafts.
Bust ... Julius Jones, RB
Handicapping the Seahawks run game is a lot like trying to guess what the weather will be like in Seattle from day to day. In theory, Jones makes sense as a Fantasy option because of his versatility and likely workload as a starter and yardage back. But in reality, Jones has been a disappointment over his last two seasons as defensive coordinators seemingly know what it takes to slow him down. He had back-to-back 100-yard games with a touchdown in Weeks 2 and 3 last year, then let everyone down with zero scores or big yardage totals for the rest of the season. The Seahawks brought in Edgerrin James late in training camp, signaling that the coaching staff hasn't been blown away by Jones or his potential. Don't get drawn into taking him because he's a starting running back available after Round 5 or 6. Expect modest totals with limited touchdowns.
Training camp topics
The Seahawks worked hard to improve their receiving corps, but what can we make of their run game? Essentially, they ignored that area, seemingly content with Jones, Duckett, second-year back/return man Justin Forsett and undrafted rookie Devin Moore making up the crew. The offensive line will move to a zone-blocking scheme this season, something Jones isn't necessarily used to working in. Even if they went to a multiple running back approach, their options don't really strike fear into any defensive coordinators.
With that in mind, the club could be on the brink of doing what they did in 2007 -- ignoring their run game and throwing the ball downfield play after play. You'll recall 2007 as the year Shaun Alexander went from Fantasy stud to Fantasy skunk and the year Hasselbeck set a franchise record with 562 passing attempts. Something similar could happen here, especially when you consider the talented nature of the receiving corps and the lack thereof at the running back position. Training camp could prove that theory wrong, so it's worth following the offensive developments.
Of course, if the offense is going to thrive under the passing game, then players like Hasselbeck (back, knee), Nate Burleson (knee) and Deion Branch (knee) will need to prove that they're healthy. They've all been working on coming back at full speed on their varying schedules, but it would be nice to see them all on the field at the same time for a series of practices before the curtain goes up on the regular season.
The Seahawks' defense is pretty much the same story -- can the players who were hurt last year regain their form? It starts with pass-rush end Patrick Kerney, who had shoulder trouble last year and hopes to be ready for the start of training camp. If he's effective, the entire unit will be better. Additionally, the improved depth along the D-line and linebacker positions help in case of injuries, and the secondary, which has been talented all along, should also see improvement if the front seven does its job.
Injury update ... Matt Hasselbeck (Back, knee; expected to be ready for the start of training camp) ... Deion Branch (Knee; questionable for the start of training camp) ... Nate Burleson (Knee; probable for the start of training camp) ... Patrick Kerney (Shoulder; probable for the start of training camp) ... Walter Jones (Knee; questionable for the start of training camp).
Are you ready for the 2009 Fantasy season? If not, we're here for you. Send us an e-mail at DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com. We'll respond to as many as we can.
