Seahawks rookie Tory Horton continues usurping starting reps from MVS

The Seattle Seahawks might already have a training camp positional battle upset. Rookie wide receiver Tory Horton has been getting first-team reps over Marquez Valdes-Scantling since the beginning of August. That trend has continued into the second week of the month.

Horton has continued to make plays and earn first-team reps, per ESPN's Brady Henderson. That has come at Valdes-Scantling's expense after the veteran was expected to be the team's third wide receiver this season.

Valdes-Scantling didn't play in Seattle's 23-23 tie versus the Las Vegas Raiders, while Horton stood out with his team-high three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown. Horton had a spinning touchdown reception through three Raiders defenders, emphasizing his stellar play that has been praised by the coaching staff during training camp.

-Tory Horton continues to make plays -- and get reps with the No. 1 offense. The rookie WR caught a red zone TD pass from Sam Darnold. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was again working a lot with the second team.
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) August 10, 2025

Horton may join Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp in the team's starting lineup to begin the season against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Sept. 7. He provides a speedy option that appears to fit Klint Kubiak's system well, and he's only 22 years old. There's a lot of upside and room for development in that situation.

Valdes-Scantling is a good player, but he's also 30 years old and likely doesn't have top-end pass-catcher potential at this point in his career. He would've been a sort of default WR3 — one that would complement the top two options without necessarily being expected to be spectacular. Horton, however, provides a potential legitimate third option that could be a dynamic playmaker.

Nick Emmanwori, one of Seattle's two second-round picks, has already referred to Horton as "the steal of the draft" after being selected No. 166 overall this offseason. He likely would have been as high as a second-round pick if it weren't for a knee injury that cost him the rest of his final season at Colorado State.

Horton has faced Emmanwori every day in practice, which makes it high praise from one of his peers. If Horton continues to lead Valdes-Scantling in first-team reps at practice, it's hard to see a situation where the Seahawks don't start him in Week 1.

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