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The Seattle Seahawks gave up a 2013 first-round pick for Percy Harvin, and then signed him to six-year, $67 million contract ($25.5 million guaranteed) to keep him in the fold long-term. But he played just one regular season game last year, as he worked his way back from hip surgery, and missed one of Seattle’s playoff games with a concussion before showing his big-play potential by returning the second half kickoff for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Positives
Golden Tate had a team-leading 64 receptions and 898 yards in 2013, along with a tied for team-best five touchdowns, and the Seahawks will need to replace his production after he signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency. Harvin is likely to take over as Seattle’s No. 1 wide receiver, and he is line to take the majority of Tate’s 98 targets from last season.
Harvin is one of the most uniquely talented players in the league, with solid production as a receiver (281 receptions), runner (683 rushing yards) and kickoff returner (five touchdowns) in his career. Seahawks’ offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell would do well to find a way to get the ball into Harvin’s hands as much as possible.
Negatives
The Seahawks clearly have a run-first offense, with the second-fewest pass attempts in the league last year (420; 26.3 per game) and the fewest pass attempts in 2012 (405; 25.3 per game). It’s obviously been a successful formula, so a dramatic change is not coming this year.
Harvin’s injury history is fairly extensive, from migraine issues early in his career, to an ankle issue that caused him to miss the final seven games of the 2012 season and last year’s hip issue. His physical style works to his advantage mostly, but also makes him susceptible to injury.
Final Verdict
Banking on Harvin playing all 16 games this season, which he has done just once in five NFL seasons, is a risky proposition. But even with the expectation of a few missed games, I think Harvin can be a high-end WR2 in PPR leagues as long as he avoids a prolonged absence. Owners in touchdown and yardage-heavy leagues can downgrade Harvin a bit compared to PPR formats, but he recaptures some of that lost value in leagues that count return yardage.
Bye Week: Week 4
Projected Round: Fifth Round (12-Team Leagues)
Auction Value: $13 (via ESPN.com)
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter or connect on Google +.
