Sam Darnold's Fantasy Football Value Falls After Signing With Seahawks

Michael Fabiano | Mar 10, 2025

Sam Darnold will be wearing Seattle Seahawks blue next season after signing a three-year contract with the team on Monday. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks got their man.

Shortly after the team traded Geno Smith, reports suggested the team wanted Sam Darnold to replace him. Well, the two sides have agreed on a three-year, $110.5 million deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It’s a huge move, not only in real football but in fantasy land too, for multiple reasons.

The bad news for Darnold is it's negative for his fantasy stock.

Darnold was one of the biggest breakout players in fantasy football this past season. After struggling over his first six years in the NFL between the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, he busted out for a career-high 307.9 fantasy points and ranked ninth among quarterbacks. He even scored more points than Patrick Mahomes! Darnold was barely picked in most 2024 fantasy drafts.

While this move to Seattle is great for his bank account, it’s bad for Darnold’s fantasy value. In fact, he’ll likely be atop my list of potential bust quarterbacks for next season.

Say what you will about the coaching and talent he had around him before getting to Minnesota, but Darnold was a fantasy backup or waiver-wire fodder for most of his career. I would argue that it’s head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system that elevated Darnold’s statistics, not some sudden NFL epiphany.

What’s more, Darnold will no longer have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison or TJ. Hockenson in the passing game. Sure, we all love Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but who else will Darnold have?

The Seahawks cut Tyler Lockett and traded DK Metcalf, so general manager John Schneider has some work to do. Regardless, the system and the talent won’t be what it was with the Vikings, so Darnold shouldn’t be drafted as more than a No. 2 fantasy quarterback in 2025.

In Minnesota, the Vikings will either transition to J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, or sign a free agent. I would love to see them go after Aaron Rodgers, but for now it’s the Michigan product who’s projected to be their starting quarterback. If that comes to fruition, McCarthy will be a popular fantasy sleeper in most 2025 leagues.

However, McCarthy’s inexperience in the NFL could mean a bit of transition, so we might see a bit of a dip in the production of Jefferson, Addison and Hockenson early on in 2025.

Stay tuned, folks!