Sam Darnold sparked Seattle’s duel with Tampa Bay, carving up the Buccaneers for 341 yards and four TDs while Jaxon Smith-Njigba siphoned targets for 132 yards and a score. Kenneth Walker III found a rhythm late, AJ Barner kept Seattle’s red-zone attack alive with two more TDs, and Dareke Young provided game-changing returns and a big grab. Jalen Milroe’s miscue lingered as a reminder of development curves, yet Seattle’s run defense held firm and the offense showed versatility to contest elite NFC foes.

Seattle rolled to a 44-13 win over New Orleans, punctuated by a stress-free first half and a dominant special teams showing. The attack thrived with Sam Darnold at the helm, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba asserted himself as the clear top target. Kenneth Walker III and the run game supplied late insurance, but Seattle’s depth—especially on defense—stole the spotlight as three key contributors sat out.

Measuring up to expectations, Seattle’s special teams carried 30 of the 44 points, and the defense shored up gaps with new contributors stepping in for injured stars. The Seahawks still have work to do up front, but the depth chart looks more versatile than in years past, a promising sign for fantasy owners chasing multi-week upside.

Seattle dominated on all fronts in a 44-13 rout of New Orleans, flipping the script from a troubling 2023 to a confident, balanced triumph. Darnold was crisp and efficient, Horton lit the stadium with a 95-yard punt return and a late TD, and JSN stacked a strong 96-yard receiving day despite an injury scare. Kenneth Walker cooled early but finished with a pair of short scores, while Seattle’s special teams and secondary, led by Harbaugh and Macdonald, delivered game-changing plays that fantasy managers will want to chase in the weeks ahead.

Further upside comes from Horton’s impact as a returner and WR, the durability notes on JSN, and the growing confidence in the Seahawks’ depth pieces on defense. With Witherspoon out, Kendrick and Jobe answered the bell, and the unit’s improvement could buoy fantasy lines even when Seattle’s offense isn’t a shootout. This game sets a blueprint for a versatile, high-floor squad in fantasy rosters.

Seattle exploded to a 38-6 lead by halftime behind explosive special teams and a clean, efficient offense. Tory Horton’s 95-yard punt return TD and a D’Anthony Bell block set the tone, while Dareke Young added a 63-yard kickoff return. Sam Darnold was precise, delivering a 14-yard TD to Horton in the early frame as Seattle cruised.

The defense stymied New Orleans on third downs (5-for-15) and kept the Saints largely in check despite injuries, with Ty Okada stepping in for his first NFL start and Derion Kendrick seeing more action. Horton’s emergence as a second receiver behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba gives Seattle a dangerous, multi-faceted attack and a raucous home-field advantage heading into a short week against Arizona.

The win solidifies Seattle’s home-field identity and signals a viable path forward: a special-teams-driven, defense-first approach that maximizes Darnold’s efficiency and the growth of young playmakers while the run game remains workmanlike. Seattle sits at 2-1 and eyes a quick turnaround vs. the Cardinals.