Colin Kaepernick to Seahawks Rumors: Potential Fantasy Football Impact (2022)

Colin Kaepernick hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2016. He’s 34 years old and will turn 35 in November. But he has stayed ready and says he is “hopeful” that he’ll get a chance to play in the NFL again.

Kaepernick recently held a private workout at the University of Washington and also got together with Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett for a throwing session. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll says the former 49ers quarterback reached out to him recently and sent him videos of the workout.

"Does that guy deserve a second shot? I think he does."

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says Colin Kaepernick reached out to him recently. pic.twitter.com/gGsfMQ5qnr

— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) March 16, 2022

The Seahawks, of course, traded quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. They received quarterback Drew Lock as part of that deal but are likely looking for an upgrade. Could Seattle actually sign Colin Kaepernick? Our own Derek Brown takes a look at his potential fit with the Seahawks and what it could mean for the other Seattle playmakers.

The last time we saw Colin Kaepernick in the NFL, he was a 29-year-old signal-caller coming off a season (2016) in which he started 11 games under the offensive mad hatter Chip Kelly. Kaepernick completed 59.2% of his passes with a 16:4 passing touchdown to interception ratio and 6.8 yards per attempt. He was the QB7 in fantasy points per game fueled by the explosive ingenuity of his rushing ability. That season he led the NFL in rushing yards per game (39.0) at the quarterback position, toting the rock 6.8 times per game.

Fast-forward to last season, and his rushing yards per game would have ranked fifth in the league among quarterbacks, immediately ahead of Justin Fields. With his rushing upside being an integral factor in his game, it’s likely we still see Kaepernick retain some of this value, but at age 34, we should temper expectations in this department. If his abilities as a ball carrier have been muted somewhat over time, he’ll have to rely on his arm more to carry his value as an NFL quarterback and fantasy asset.

In 2016 among quarterbacks with 100 or more dropbacks, he was the 34th-highest-graded passer per PFF while also ranking 27th (71.2%, per PFF) in adjusted completion rate. This mark was the third highest of his five-year run as the 49ers’ starting quarterback. If Kaepernick is asked to carry a team with his passing acumen as his main weapon, he could struggle unless it’s in a game-manager capacity. His big-time throw rate decreased as the starter in each of his five seasons to a minuscule 1.7% in 2016. His turnover-worthy play rate of 3.6% (23rd, minimum 100 dropbacks) was middle of the pack, so asking him to be a game-managing option could still be a stretch. Kaepernick needs his rushing ability to remain to be considered anything more than a low-end QB2 in fantasy.

Colin Kaepernick worked out today with #Seahawks WR Aaron Fuller and UW RB Kamari Pleasant. This comes after he recently trained with Tyler Lockett.

Kaepernick says he has talked to the Seahawks and is hopeful the door opens.

(via @areedk5sports) pic.twitter.com/i1x14V5WzL

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 23, 2022

Zooming out and parsing the effect on the Seattle offense, D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Chris Carson, and Rashaad Penny would all still be fantasy football viable options to varying degrees. It’s not a 1:1 comparison, but if we’re trying to wrap our heads around what this offense would look like, we should examine last season’s results with Geno Smith under center. In that three-game stretch, Metcalf averaged six targets, 4.7 receptions, and 65.7 receiving yards with three receiving touchdowns. The touchdowns and his consistent role in the red zone (three targets vs. Lockett’s zero) buoyed Metcalf as the WR8 in this small sample.

Lockett was the WR24, which sounds more optimistic than it should. He had two games with 35 or fewer receiving yards, with a monster day of 142 receiving yards saving his fantasy bacon. Metcalf falls into the basement tier of WR2 options, with Lockett likely settling in as a WR3/4 with weekly upside for more if he connects on a deep pass or two.

Much is left to be decided in the Seattle backfield entering this season with Chris Carson’s health and Rashaad Penny’s role. What we can project, though, is that the rushing volume will be present for at least one of these rushers to be in the RB2/RB3 conversation weekly. With Smith directing the offense, the team was ninth in neutral rushing rate (44%). Pete Carroll would likely give up his gum-chewing fixation before moving away from the run game. The scoring potential of this offense and passing rate would be muted enough to shy away from other tertiary options outside of an injury or bye-week steaming scenario.
– Derek Brown

Try the only fantasy football draft software that syncs with your draft

If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.