The Seattle Seahawks traded for tight end Jimmy Graham to provide quarterback Russell Wilson with a dynamic receiving threat to balance out their offense and serve as a mismatch in the red zone. Yet after a strong start - all four of Graham's targets in Week 1 were in the red zone - Wilson simply stopped looking the tight end's way in goal line situations. Over the last five weeks, Graham has seen just three total red zone targets. That's just not right.
However, Graham's fantasy value has been kept alive thanks to his production elsewhere. If Wilson can start looking his way more often near the end zone, it should help reestablish Graham as one of the game's top options at the position.
"What has happened since [Week 1] is Graham has become highly productive on plays outside the red zone," ESPN Fantasy Football Insider KC Joyner wrote. "Since Week 3, Graham ranks second among tight ends in receiving yards on plays that don't start in the red zone (282). What this means is Seattle is successfully incorporating him into the offense in other areas of the field. If or when the Seahawks' offense starts to use him in the red zone as well, it could move Graham's fantasy point totals back to a level that puts him in contention with Rob Gronkowski for the top overall spot among fantasy tight ends."
Overall, Graham has caught 29 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns. While those are still solid numbers, they are far from the stat lines Graham produced in New Orleans. Though a dip in production was to be expected given Seattle's run-first offense, this type of output has to be worrisome for owners. Graham has just one game with double digit targets this season. He totaled seven such outings last year and three in the season's first four games.
Hopefully, Wilson starts relying on his No. 1 target a bit more.
