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Jan 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) is stopped by Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) after a complete pass in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Reviewing Projections: Was Seahawks WR DK Metcalf's 2024 Season Underwhelming?

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Connor Benintendi | Last updated Jan 16, 2025 8:00 PM ET

Before the 2024 season, we published predictions about final statistics for a few of the Seattle Seahawks’ top players.

Now, with the season ended, it’s time to go back and ask: Did those players meet, exceed or fall short of expectations during the 2024–25 campaign? Sixth-year former All-Pro wide receiver DK Metcalf is fourth on the list.

Metcalf began the season hot but cooled off after missing two games due to injury. When he returned, he took a backseat in the passing game and finished with less than 1,000 receiving yards for the third time in his career.

Preseason Projections

- 79 receptions (130 targets)

- 1,264 receiving yards

- 9 touchdowns

- 16.0 yards per catch

- 23.2 percent target share

- 61 percent catch rate

- Top 10 in the NFL in receiving yards

Metcalf’s 2024 Season

*statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus, Pro Football Reference

- 66 catches (108 targets)

- 992 receiving yards

- 5 touchdowns

- 15.0 yards per catch

- 21.3 percent target share

- 61.1 percent catch rate

- 25th in the NFL in receiving yards

Metcalf fell short of projected numbers in 2024, but he also missed two games due to injury. Before his injury, Metcalf was third in the league in receiving yards and was on pace for a career-high 1,379 yards.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba broke out during Metcalf’s absence from Weeks 8–9, posting the fourth-most receiving yards in a single game in Seahawks history (180) in the team’s 26-20 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9. Smith-Njigba had 742 receiving yards over Seattle’s final nine games.

He would have been very close to the projected metrics with two more games played this season. The projected 1,264 receiving yards would have needed an average of 74.4 yards per game, and Metcalf averaged 66.1. Metcalf was also almost right on pace with his targets and receptions per game metrics.

Overall, it was a disappointing season for the former All-Pro based on season-ending numbers. Metcalf was expected to thrive in now-fired offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s system based on evidence from the coach’s time in the college game, leading one of the most effective vertical passing offenses in the country.

Once Smith-Njigba became the focal point, the balance never returned. Metcalf became the clear second option, never receiving double-digit targets in one game post-injury after doing so three times in the season’s first six games.

“Early in the season, going into the Atlanta game before [Metcalf] got his knee banged up, he was tops in the league in probably dang near every category, and we wish we could have kept that going when he got back,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said at his end-of-season press conference. “So those are the things we’re looking to build off with DK; he’s such a force out there, it’s not just good enough to get the coverage tilted for him. We got to figure out more ways to give him the ball consistently and let it impact the game with the ball on his hands rather than just moving coverage that way.”

Metcalf’s best game of the season was a 10-catch, 129-yard game in Week 2 against the New England Patriots that also included a 56-yard touchdown reception. He had three-straight 100-plus-yard games from Weeks 2–4 before never surpassing triple digits the rest of the season.

Metcalf’s catch rate projection was nearly spot on, as he’s always been a high-volume receiver who receives plenty of contested catch opportunities. That continued in 2024, with Metcalf receiving the most contested targets (41) of any receiver in the league, but he only made the 13th-most contested catches, per PFF.

His 36.6 percent contested catch rate ranked 75th in the league. Metcalf was also 35th in yards per route run (1.81).

Metcalf’s talent is undeniable, and he affects the defensive coverage to open things up for the rest of Seattle’s weapons. That alone makes him valuable and, when coupled with his production over a regular 17-game stretch, he remains one of the most dangerous receivers in the NFL.

The biggest critiques of Metcalf’s game are generally related to his penalties, lack of ball security and not making expected contested catches. Metcalf tied for second among all receivers in penalties drawn (7) and fumbles (2). Based on those metrics and his poor contested catch rate, those critics are warranted.

Metcalf remains a contributor to the Seahawks’ offense and will only help Smith-Njigba continue to get the ball in space while demanding opponents respect his threat.