Analysis: Does Seahawks WR DK Metcalf Deserve OROY Consideration?

After slipping to the end of the second round due to a myriad of concerns, Metcalf has easily been Seattle’s best rookie throughout the 2019 season. But has he been the best offensive rookie in the league?

Now well past the halfway point of the 2019 NFL season, playoff seeding has started to take shape and buzz about end of season awards has started to heat up.

For the 8-2 Seahawks, quarterback Russell Wilson looks poised to capture his first MVP award. Arguably the most indispensable player in the league right now, the eighth-year veteran leads the league with 23 touchdown passes, a 114.9 passer rating, and five game-winning drives.

Despite losing his top receiver Doug Baldwin to retirement and tight end Will Dissly to a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 6, Wilson has continued to put up video game numbers while throwing to the likes of receiver Malik Turner and tight end Jacob Hollister, further bolstering his MVP candidacy.

But Wilson may not be the only Seahawk worthy of winning a major award during NFL Honors, the league’s annual awards show, which will take place prior to the Super Bowl on February 1.

As one of the recipients of Wilson’s phenomenal season, receiver DK Metcalf has blown all expectations out of the water in his first NFL season. The second-round pick out of Ole Miss impressed throughout the offseason, but after undergoing minor knee surgery in August, nobody knew what to expect from him in the regular season.

Right out of the gate, Metcalf’s presence added another dimension to Seattle’s passing game, providing Wilson with a 6-foot-3, 228-pound weapon possessing track speed on the outside. In the season opener against Cincinnati, he broke Steve Largent’s franchise record with 89 receiving yards in his rookie debut.

In six of Seattle’s 10 games, Metcalf has surpassed 60 yards, including posting a career-best 123 receiving yards in a Week 9 win over Tampa Bay. He ranks eighth in the NFL averaging 17 yards per reception and he’s tied for fourth in the league with five receiving touchdowns.

Statistically, Metcalf has also been the best receiver in his draft class, though it’s worth noting Redskins receiver Terry McLaurin has posted similar numbers in two less games. If the season ended today, he’d be a “triple crown” winner, leading all rookie receivers in receptions (35), receiving yardage (595), and touchdown receptions (5).

At his current pace, Metcalf will finish his first season in Seattle with 56 receptions for 952 yards and eight touchdowns. Those numbers would certainly make him a worthy contender for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, as few could’ve projected he would come close to even sniffing 1,000 receiving yards.

But ultimately, even considering his outstanding production on the field, Metcalf still faces somewhat long odds to become the first rookie of the year in Seahawks franchise history.

First off, the award typically favors quarterbacks and running backs, as 13 of the past 16 winners played one of those two positions. These numbers would indicate Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Raiders running back Josh Jacobs may have an inside track to winning this year.

Murray hasn’t had the best year for a rookie quarterback, but he still has thrown 12 touchdowns compared to just five interceptions and Arizona has been far more competitive with him under center. As for Jacobs, he’s been a catalyst behind Oakland’s unexpected revival this season, rushing for 811 yards and seven touchdowns.

Secondly, while Metcalf’s numbers have been awfully impressive, other receivers who have garnered Rookie of the Year honors produced even gaudier stat lines. In 2014, Odell Beckham Jr. registered 91 catches for over 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns. The year before, Keenan Allen eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the Chargers and caught 71 passes.

Even when ex-Seahawk Percy Harvin won the award in 2009, he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns to go along with over 900 all-purpose offensive yards, adding a special teams element Metcalf doesn’t bring to the table.

With six games left to play, Metcalf warrants inclusion in the discussion alongside Murray, Jacobs, and maybe McLaurin. He’s an exciting player who had quickly become a fan favorite for the Seahawks thanks to his prowess as a deep threat and toughness after the catch.

But as things currently stand, Metcalf will likely need to explode during the final stretch run and surpass the 1,000-yard mark to have any shot at securing Rookie of the Year accolades. If that does happen, well, that’s great news not only for the player but also Seattle’s NFC West title aspirations.