NFC West Fantasy Football Coaching Guide 2026: Schemes, Play Calling & Player Outlooks

Arizona Cardinals

• Head Coach: Mike LaFleur (Offensive Play Caller)
• Offensive Coordinator: Nathaniel Hackett
• Defensive Coordinator: Nick Rallis (Defensive Play Caller)
• Offensive System: West Coast Offense – Relies upon short, high-percentage pass plays instead of power rushing. The short passes set up outside runs and deep passes in hopes of surprising the defense. There is a high volume of plays in a West Coast system.

Cardinals Offensive Breakdown

Let's talk about what's going down in the desert with the Arizona Cardinals. We have yet another Sean McVay copycat offense being installed here, but at least this time we get Mike LaFleur, who was McVay’s actual offensive coordinator in Los Angeles for the last three seasons. LaFleur has spent five years as an OC learning at the feet of the masters in Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, and most importantly, he’ll be calling the plays himself (meaning we dodge the bullet of a potential Nate Hackett disaster).

While old-school McVay offenses relied on wide-open "11" personnel and spread formations, LaFleur was a driver of L.A.'s evolution toward heavier "12" personnel, tight formations, and play-action shots. Expect Arizona to pack the formation tight, trot out multiple tight end sets, and look to bully defenses.

The Ground Game: "Duo" Concepts, Trench Upgrades, and the Jeremiyah Love Era

The centerpiece of this entire offensive design is going to be the running game. The Cardinals are keeping their wide-zone blocking base, but they are layering in the McVay-style "duo" run concept.

• The Scheme Fit: In a duo run, the offensive line blocks straight ahead without pulling, forcing the running back into a direct one-on-one showdown with an opposing linebacker. The back simply reads the linebacker's path, makes his cut inside or bounces outside, and goes. It’s the exact system that turned Kyren Williams into a fantasy superstar, and all three Cardinals backs fit the mold.
• The Backfield Competition: This backfield looks like a frustrating committee on paper entering camp, with veteran Tyler Allgeier getting initial run. But let’s be real: Allgeier has averaged a paltry 3.8 yards per carry on outside, and wide-zone runs over the last three years. It shouldn't take long for the cream to rise to the top.
• Targeting the Rookie: Arizona made serious investments in their offensive line, and rookie Jeremiyah Love is built to profit from it. Love is a powerful, home-run hitter out of Notre Dame with a penchant for breaking tackles and taking house-calls downfield. He'll be brought along gradually early on, but make no mistake: Love is the real target here and will become the focal point of this offense in short order.

The Passing Attack: QB Regression, Target Dynamics, and Tempering Expectations

As nice as the offensive line investments and run schemes look, this passing game has a glaring dark cloud hanging over it: the quarterback position.

• The Jacoby Brissett Reality Check: Expect serious regression from 33-year-old bridge QB Jacoby Brissett. The Cardinals know he isn't the long-term solution, and his limitations are going to put a hard ceiling on the fantasy efficiency of all these pass-catchers.
• The "Puka" vs. "Davante" Narrative: Coach-speak alert! LaFleur claimed Michael Wilson will play the "Puka Nacua role" while Marvin Harrison takes on the "Davante Adams role." Translation? It means absolutely nothing, other than Wilson being the high-volume target on early downs while Harrison Jr. gets the high-impact looks on 3rd down and in the red zone. Wilson and Brissett showed nice chemistry last year, but any future QB shift will rewrite that hierarchy instantly.
• The Fantasy Bottom Line: Between QB instability and a run-heavy, tight-formation scheme, lower your expectations across the board for this passing game. Do not project 160+ targets for tight end Trey McBride or any of these receivers this season. Draft them as volatile options rather than set-and-forget alphas!

Best Fits for This Offense: Jeremiyah Love, Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison

Worst Fits for This Offense: Tyler Allgeier, Jacoby Brissett

Cardinals Defensive Breakdown

• Defensive Setup: 3-4 base with multiple fronts
• Base Secondary Coverage: 2-High Zone Cover-2 & Cover-3 Mix

Nick Rallis was the youngest defensive coordinator in NFL history when he got hired in 2023, but the results simply haven’t been there. Honestly, it’s downright stunning that head coach Mike LaFleur retained Rallis after the last two seasons. Arizona has real raw talent on this side of the ball, but they haven't been able to convert chiseled physical freaks into actual football players.

Losing former head coach Jonathan Gannon hurts this unit’s overall scheme identity, especially on the back end. Rallis' system feels overly complicated, leaving players overmatched and looking confused instead of reacting fast.

The Defensive Front: Front-Seven Struggles, Failed Rotations, and Edge Help

Rallis operates out of a 3-4 base front, mixing up alignments when necessary. On paper, Arizona spent massive draft capital on interior beef, but they still cannot figure out a way to plug gaps and stop the run.

• Interior Run-Stoppers: The Cardinals invested heavily in raw interior talent with blue-chip prospects, but it wasn't enough. This offseason, they brought in veteran certified run-stoppers Roy Lopez and Andrew Billings to battle for zero-technique nose tackle snaps and force some much-needed push up front.
• The Pass Rush Problem: Despite paying big money to Josh Sweat, who posted 12 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, the overall pass rush remains in shambles. Rallis loves heavily rotating his edge rushers to keep them fresh, but in practice, it just seems to disrupt their rhythm and confuse assignments.
• The Development Void: High-upside athletes like Darius Robinson and Zaven Collins need to step up and evolve into consistent, winning football players. Until they do, this pass rush lacks teeth. Keep a close eye on rookie DE Walter Nolen to see if he can provide an immediate spark in the trench rotation.

The Secondary & Coverage Report: Two-High Shells, Zone Matches, and Playmakers

To replace Gannon's zone-coverage genius, Arizona brought in former Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin to help design and implement their match-zone concepts.

• The Two-High Rotation: The Cardinals run an old-school two-high safety shell, constantly rotating who drops down in the box and who stays high to throw off the quarterback’s pre-snap reads. They blend this with modern tweaks, dropping linebackers into coverage lanes specifically mapped out based on the opponent's situational tendencies.
• Budda Baker’s Havoc Role (IDP Target): This up-and-down safety structure is a custom fit for Budda Baker. It lets him roam the field, crash the box, and create pure havoc—keeping him locked in as a premier, high-floor IDP starter.
• Secondary Trajectory: Watch out for rookie corner Will Johnson, who possesses the raw boundary skills and instincts to turn into a legitimate turnover machine as he adapts to NFL speed.

Fantasy & Betting Takeaway

Until this coaching staff proves otherwise, the Cardinals run a defense that is entirely too complicated and consistently overmatched. This is a unit we actively want to target against in season-long fantasy, DFS slates, and weekly sports betting.

While Josh Sweat and Budda Baker remain strong individual IDP targets, and young studs like Walter Nolen and Will Johnson bear watching for dynasty formats, fire up your opposing QBs, RBs, and WRs against Arizona with complete confidence!

Best Fits for This Defense: Budda Baker, Josh Sweat, Mack Wilson

Worst Fits for This Defense: N/A

Los Angeles Rams

• Head Coach: Sean McVay (Offensive Play Caller)
• Offensive Coordinator: Nathan Scheelhaase
• Defensive Coordinator: Chris Shula (Defensive Play Caller)
• Offensive System: West Coast Offense – Relies upon short, high-percentage pass plays instead of power rushing. The short passes set up outside runs and deep passes in hopes of surprising the defense. There is a high volume of plays in a West Coast system.

Rams Offensive Breakdown

Head coach Sean McVay has been at the very forefront of advanced personnel groupings for a decade, famously pioneering the wide-open, "11" personnel (3 WR) base look. But over the past couple of seasons, McVay completely flipped the script, catching defenses off-guard by ditching pure three-wideout packages in favor of heavy sets, including a whopping 331 snaps out of three-tight-end formations after running it just three total times the previous year!

Everything about this Rams offense looks different than it did three years ago. The underlying play designs and elite production are still there, but how McVay arrives at that production has undergone a massive evolution.

The Ground Game: The "Duo" Revolution & Backfield Breakdown

McVay used to be known strictly as an outside-zone run architect. Today, he runs a near-perfect three-way split between power/gap concepts, zone runs, and duo.

• The Duo Concept: Installed by offensive line coach Ryan Wendell, duo features wide-zone pre-snap looks that turn into a straight-ahead power run at the snap. The blocking technique momentarily lures linebackers and safeties into thinking pass before the running back dives straight ahead into the interior gap rather than flowing parallel to the line. It catches defenses completely off-guard and has quickly become the heart and soul of this entire rushing attack.
• Kyren Williams is the Alpha: Make no mistake, Kyren Williams remains the undisputed feature back in Los Angeles. Over the last two seasons, Kyren has dominated in this duo scheme, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt on duo carries. He ranked seventh in snap share, ninth in rush share, and eighth in overall utilization rate among all NFL running backs last season. He will continue to handle early-down work, high-value target snaps, two-minute drills, and goal-line duties.
• Blake Corum’s Role: Corum made huge strides in his second year, elevating his efficiency to 5.1 yards per carry on duo runs. He will generate a solid workload, expect a 40%+ snap share and 150+ touches, but these are largely non-threatening touches for Kyren's ceiling. Corum remains an elite handcuff and a spot-start option in games where the Rams are heavily favored, but Kyren is the clear engine here.

The Passing Attack: Tight Formations, YAC Opportunities, and Target Priorities

While this remains a West Coast offense with spread characteristics, McVay shifted to tighter pre-snap formations. Packing receivers in close opens up maximum room on the perimeter, creating quick-release throws and instant Yards After the Catch (YAC) for quick-twitch playmakers.

• McVay’s Pre-Snap Genius: McVay uses tight alignments, pre-snap motion, play-action fakes, and layered route trees to open up primary underneath reads. By stretching defense secondary alignments wide, he forces weaker-tackling defensive backs into single-coverage situations.
• Matthew Stafford & Puka Nacua: Matthew Stafford is an all-time great at trusting his primary wideout to win one-on-one matchups downfield. Puka Nacua is undeniably that guy, feeding on short-to-intermediate routes right off the line of scrimmage to generate massive weekly volume. However, inside the red zone, Davante Adams remains the clear preferred target when Stafford looks to strike in the end zone.
• The Tight End Fantasy Warning: Hear me out on this, #FAmily! Even though the Rams operate out of heavy multi-tight-end sets, do not waste fantasy draft capital on these tight ends. With rookie Max Klare joining the room, Los Angeles now has four viable tight end options sharing snaps. The target share will be far too chopped up for any single tight end to deliver consistent fantasy value. Focus your draft capital on Puka and Davante!

Best Fits for This Offense: Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua

Worst Fits for This Offense: Ty Simpson, Davante Adams

Rams Defensive Breakdown

• Defensive Front Setup: 3-4, Multi-Front
• Base Secondary Coverage: Match-Zone

Let’s talk about what’s going down on the defensive side of the ball for the Los Angeles Rams. I’ve said in this exact space before that defensive coordinator Chris Shula has appeared overmatched running a contending football team. His scheme blueprint is solid, but he hasn’t shown the ability to teach, develop, or make in-game adjustments. Their defense almost let the Panthers knock them out of the playoffs in the first round last year!

Trading for pass-rushing monster Myles Garrett, landing shutdown corner Trent McDuffie (and handing him a massive 4-year, $124M extension), and bringing in Jaylen Watson is a massive front-office admission that the coaching needed serious star-power help. While adding elite talent elevates the ceiling, this isn't a system that can sustain an injury to its premier stars and survive.

The Defensive Front: Simulated Pressures, The Myles Garrett Era, and Gap Control

Technically, the Rams operate out of a 3-4 base front, but Shula shifts alignments constantly—trotting out four- and five-man fronts to keep offensive line protections guessing.

• Simulated Pressure Scheme: Shula loves sending "simulated pressures," where linebackers and defensive backs blitz through vacated lanes while defensive linemen drop back into zone coverage. It takes versatile athletes across the front seven to pull this off.
• The Myles Garrett Impact: To get elite pass-rush juice, the Rams shipped Jared Verse to Cleveland in a blockbuster package for Myles Garrett. Garrett isn't the typical coverage-dropping, versatile edge player this system usually asks for, but when you have the best pass rusher of this generation, you simply let him pin his ears back and go disrupt!
• The Fatal Flaw (Run Defense): Because the pass rush is so terrifying, opposing offenses will aggressively try to run the football to slow down the tempo. Los Angeles ranked a disappointing 19th against the run last season, placing massive pressure on interior tackles Poona Ford and Kobie Turner to hold their ground and keep interior gaps closed.

The Secondary & Coverage Report: Match-Zone Complexity & McDuffie’s Lockdown Island

The Rams were an underwhelming 19th against the pass last year, prompting a complete overhaul in the secondary to complement Shula’s complex coverage map.

• Match-Zone Rules: LA plays a base "match zone" scheme, primarily operating out of Cover-2, that adjusts based on pre-snap offensive motion. When receivers go in motion, or tight ends shift, the coverage seamlessly converts from zone into man-to-man to throw off the quarterback's post-snap read. It requires elite communication and IQ from the defensive backfield.
• Trent McDuffie’s Island: Acquiring Trent McDuffie changes everything. McDuffie brings true press-man, shadow capability to the secondary. Erasing a third to a half of the field with a true lockdown corner makes running a match-zone concept infinitely easier for the rest of the secondary.
• Fantasy & Streamer Takeaway: Expect teams to lean heavily into ground attacks to test LA's shaky gap control. However, the Rams' best defense remains their high-powered offense! Once Matthew Stafford and company build a lead and force opponents into obvious passing situations, this pass rush will unleash its claws and rack up sacks and turnovers in bunches. Target them as a match-up-dependent fantasy defense!

Best Fits for This Defense: Myles Garrett, Braden Fiske, Trent McDuffie

Worst Fits for This Defense: Kam Curl

San Francisco 49ers

• Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan (Offensive Play Caller)
• Offensive Coordinator: Klay Kubiak
• Defensive Coordinator: Raheem Morris (Defensive Play Caller)
• Offensive System: West Coast Offense – Relies upon short, high-percentage pass plays instead of power rushing. The short passes set up outside runs and deep passes in hopes of surprising the defense. There is a high volume of plays in a West Coast system.

49ers Offensive Breakdown

Let’s talk about Kyle Shanahan and his juggernaut in San Francisco. The best part about the Shanahan offense is that no matter how many other coaches across the league try to copy it, they never quite get it right because Shanahan’s system is constantly evolving. While Sean McVay made the pivot toward multiple tight ends in Los Angeles, Shanahan evolved into lining up multiple weapons directly in his backfield.

While everyone else in the NFL is busy copying old versions of his playbook, using under-center formations, heavy pre-snap motion, play-action fakes, and deep shots, Shanahan has already moved on. The 2026 version of this offense relies heavily on the run game and short, quick-striking passes, but with a massive new vertical twist.

The Ground Game: The Wide-Zone Blueprint & Backfield Chess Pieces

If you don’t believe in Kyle Shanahan’s wide-zone blocking scheme and how it elevates running backs, then I don’t even know why you’re reading a Coaching Breakdown in the first place! Everything in San Francisco revolves around their ability to run the football.

• A Quick History Lesson:
  • In 2017, Shanahan inherited Carlos Hyde (a terrible fit for wide-zone), yet Hyde finished as the RB8 in fantasy.
  • In 2018, despite losing starter Jerick McKinnon, suffering seven different injuries to Matt Breida, and losing Raheem Mostert to a broken arm, the 49ers still finished top-13 in rushing yards and yards per carry.
  • In 2020, their rotating starting running backs combined for a staggering 374.2 fantasy points!
  • In 2021, sixth-round rookie Elijah Mitchell stepped in after injuries swept the room and posted 15.0 fantasy PPG (RB15).
• The Zone-Blocking Mechanics: Shanahan demands smaller, agile offensive linemen who pull aggressively and flow laterally. The line remains solidly anchored by Trent Williams, who turns 38 this season, though depth is a slight concern after adding only late-round rookies Carver Willis (4th round) and Enrique Cruz Jr. (5th round).
• Indefensible Versatility: Shanahan breaks defensive coordinators' brains by deploying Christian McCaffrey out wide, George Kittle in the slot, and fullback Kyle Juszczyk as an inline tight end. That positional fluidity, paired with a heavy fullback usage rate, ruins defensive pre-snap reads before the ball is even snapped!

The Passing Attack: Quick Progressions, The TE Drag, and The Receiver Hierarchy

This West Coast passing game relies on Brock Purdy getting in and out of his drop quickly, hitting precise reads, and letting his playmakers generate massive Yards After the Catch (YAC).

• The Legendary TE Drag Route: A staple of this offense for decades is the tight end drag route. George Kittle mirrors Purdy’s drop-back movement; as the defense flows outward to stop boundary receivers, Kittle sits right in Purdy’s line of sight while moving away from coverage. Getting Kittle fully healthy and back from his torn Achilles sooner rather than later is huge for this offense.
• Opening Up the Deep Ball with Mike Evans: Purdy’s route tree has historically been short and hyper-efficient. But adding veteran legend Mike Evans alongside rookie De’Zhaun Stribling signals that Shanahan is finally ready to let Purdy unleash true vertical shots downfield!
• The Rookie Opportunity (De'Zhaun Stribling): Keep a close eye on the WR target share during camp! With Ricky Pearsall sidelined after season-ending knee surgery, second-round rookie De’Zhaun Stribling gets a massive, immediate opportunity to claim the full starting role opposite Mike Evans. He is a high-upside late-round target for us.
• The Brain Drain Effect: Teams keep plucking Shanahan’s assistants to be head coaches—Mike McDaniel (Dolphins), Bobby Slowik (Texans), and Klint Kubiak (who won a Super Bowl in Seattle last year before taking the Raiders head job). Klay Kubiak is the current OC, but make no mistake: Shanahan is still calling the plays.
• Fantasy Takeaway: With Christian McCaffrey dominating touches, George Kittle controlling the middle, and Mike Evans stretching the field, Brock Purdy enters 2026 with the most explosive supporting cast of his career. Buy into this offense with absolute confidence on draft day!

Best Fits for This Offense: Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle

Worst Fits for This Offense: Ricky Pearsall

49ers Defensive Breakdown

• Defensive Front Setup: Primarily 4-3 with 4-2-5 tendencies 
• Base Secondary Coverage: Two-High Cover-3 Zone

The San Francisco 49ers are breaking in their fifth defensive coordinator in five years as Raheem Morris takes the reins from Robert Saleh. That kind of coaching carousel, combined with a mountain of injuries last year, made it nearly impossible for this unit to establish any real rhythm.

While Saleh was relatively static with his setups, Morris brings a far more fluid approach, constantly shifting personnel pre-snap to throw off the quarterback's reads. His overarching philosophy? Bring more bodies than the offense can physically block.

The Defensive Front: Five-Man Overloads, Healthy Anchors, and "Hot Quarters" Heat

The foundation of this defense remains a base 4-3 front, but Morris loves to mix in heavy five-man fronts to overload protection schemes.

• The Edge Dominance: The entire scheme hinges on the edges generating relentless pressure so the secondary isn't forced to hold coverage for long. Having a healthy Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams back on the edge completely changes the ceiling of this entire defense. When Morris rolls out those five-man fronts, it isolates Bosa in single-coverage matchups—and Bosa eats those alive!
• Trench Depth & Mismatches: The trade for interior disruptor Osa Odighizuwa and the third-round draft selection of Romello Height provide the depth and positional flexibility Morris needs to move chess pieces around and manufacture mismatches.
• Linebacker Versatility (IDP Goldmines): This system demands elite communication and versatility from its linebackers. Having a fully healthy Fred Warner alongside Dre Greenlaw gives Morris the ultimate veteran duo. They are tasked with crashing the backfield on blitzes while possessing the range to drop out into coverage against tight ends and receiving backs.
• The "Hot Quarters" Blitz Package: On obvious passing downs, keep an eye out for Morris' "hot quarters" look. The Niners identify the number of offensive blockers and send that exact number plus one on a blitz, leaving a free pass-rusher to send the QB into a total panic while the secondary sits in deep quarters coverage.

The Secondary & Coverage Report: Two-High Shells, Robber Rules, and Boundary Traps

Behind that aggressive front, Morris retains the core coverage principles Robert Saleh utilized, relying on disguises and safety rotations.

• Split-Safety Shells to Cover-3: Pre-snap, San Francisco usually shows a split-safety or two-high shell before spinning into a three-deep zone (Cover-3) on the majority of snaps. Post-snap, one safety routinely drops downhill into the box as a "robber" to destroy crossing routes over the middle.
• Coverage Concerns & YAC Vulnerability: In Atlanta, Morris had elite boundary coverage talent that allowed standard Cover-3 setups to thrive. The 49ers simply do not have elite cover guys in the secondary, making them highly susceptible to precise route-runners who thrive on yards after the catch (YAC).
• The Nate Hobbs Trap: San Francisco acquired Nate Hobbs, hinting at potential man-coverage tweaks. However, attempting to play more man coverage with this current secondary group is a trap that will likely not end well!

Fantasy & IDP Takeaway

Having a healthy Nick Bosa back up front elevates the entire defense from top to bottom. Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw remain top-tier, set-and-forget LB options in all IDP league formats due to their snap volume, tackle floor, and blitz usage.

However, until this secondary proves it can contain sharp route-runners, do not hesitate to target high-end pass catchers and quick-strike offenses against this unit in fantasy matchups!

Best Fits for This Defense: Nick Bosa, Osa Odighizuwa, Fred Warner

Worst Fits for This Defense: Malik Mustapha, Upton Stout

Seattle Seahawks

• Head Coach: Mike Macdonald (Defensive Play Caller)
• Offensive Coordinator: Brian Fleury (Offensive Play Caller)
• Defensive Coordinator: Aden Durde
• Offensive System: West Coast Offense – Relies upon short, high-percentage pass plays instead of power rushing. The short passes set up outside runs and deep passes in hopes of surprising the defense. There is a high volume of plays in a West Coast system.

Seahawks Offensive Breakdown

Let’s talk about the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks. Coming off their Super Bowl LX run, head coach Mike Macdonald wanted to keep as much continuity as possible. But losing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak (now leading the Raiders) and offensive line guru Rick Dennison is a massive blow. 

To replace Kubiak, Seattle dipped deep into the Kyle Shanahan bargain bin to hire Brian Fleury. Keep in mind: Fleury has never called plays, never been a coordinator, and was a tight end coach before this! Because Macdonald calls the defense, Fleury has complete control of the offense. While the scheme starts out identical to last season, in-game and week-to-week adjustments will be a major question mark.

The Ground Game: Overhauled Backfield & Zone Scheme Concerns

The run game was the true heartbeat of this offense in 2025, but the personnel looks wildly different for 2026.

• Personnel Turnover & Injuries: Kenneth Walker signed with Kansas City, and Zach Charbonnet is sidelined until October at the earliest. That leaves a heavily chopped-up early-season backfield featuring first-round rookie Jadarian Price and George Holani. Price was a backup at Notre Dame, tore his Achilles three years ago, and had the fewest college rush attempts for a first-round RB ever. Expect an unpredictable committee approach until Charbonnet returns. 
• The Dennison Effect & Line Upgrades: Historically, whenever Rick Dennison leaves an offensive coaching staff, the running game suffers a notable regression the following season. On the bright side, O-line coach John Benton remains on board to teach the outside-zone system, and drafting guard Beau Stephens adds a perfect fit for this scheme. 
• The Verdict: Seattle will still run plenty, but with Price and Holani sharing touches behind a transitional staff, don't expect the same elite ground efficiency they produced last season.

The Passing Attack: Tight Formations, Two-Way Routes, and JSN’s Ceiling

In the passing game, Fleury aims to keep the core tenets of the Shanahan tree intact, utilizing balanced personnel and heavy pre-snap motion out of tight alignments.

• Two-Way-Go Routes: Seattle's receivers are given "two-way-go" options, allowing them to break inside or outside depending on the coverage look. When the QB and WR are locked in, it's nearly impossible to defend. Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba were unstoppable using these concepts during their championship run!
• Vertical Stretch Requirement: Getting Rashid Shaheed heavily involved as a deep threat is vital. His speed pulls safety help over the top, opening up space underneath for those two-way routes to operate cleanly. 
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba's Outlook: Seattle failed to land a true, proven #2 wide receiver, which puts an immense target load on JSN. Defenses will be far better prepared to counter these two-way route concepts this season. While JSN still carries a firm first-round fantasy grade, temper expectations slightly. A line of 1,200 yards and 8 TDs is a more realistic expectation than repeating his massive 1,700-yard outburst from last year!

Best Fits for This Offense: Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, AJ Barner

Worst Fits for This Offense: Zach Charbonnet

Seahawks Defensive Breakdown

• Defensive Front Setup: 3-4
• Base Secondary Coverage: Man/Zone Mix with 2-High Safeties

Head coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme is a masterclass in modern, multi-look football. On paper, it looks straightforward: rush four and drop seven into coverage. The catch? The opposing quarterback and offensive line never know where that fourth rush angle is coming from. 

Macdonald demands total versatility, asking linebackers, safeties, and corners to line up anywhere on the field to stop the run, rush the passer, or drop into coverage. Seattle had 17 different players log a sack last season because when Macdonald says "everyone plays everywhere," he means it! Instead of heavy blitzing, Seattle relies on the "illusion of pressure," showing one look before the snap and completely switching responsibilities the moment the ball is snapped. 

To top it off, Macdonald keeps his playbook installation fresh by using simple code words—referencing cities, states, fast-food joints, celebrities, and movies—which the players love and absorb in a flash!

The Defensive Front: Knock-Back Power, Interior Depth, and Line Rotation

Defensive coordinator Aden Durde, the NFL's first British-born coordinator, has hit the absolute jackpot developing this defensive line. Durde and Macdonald have assembled a physical, gap-plugging front that sets the tone with a ferocious "knock-back" mentality, striking the offensive line first to win the leverage battle at the point of attack.

• Elite Trench Rotations: With stars like Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, DeMarcus Lawrence, and big boss Byron Murphy, Seattle rotates five elite, interchangeable run-stuffers to stay fresh deep into the fourth quarter. 
• Scheme Versatility: These guys are not just space-eaters; they hold their gaps, move anywhere along the formation, and occasionally drop back into coverage when Macdonald dials up a simulated pressure. The better this front shuts down the run, the more chaotic and effective their pass rush becomes!

The Secondary & Coverage Report: Rotation Illusions, "Bail" Technique, and IDP Goldmines

Behind that stout front, Macdonald keeps quarterbacks completely off-balance by constantly shifting coverages and refusing to settle into predictable patterns.

• Post-Snap Rotations (Not Simple Match Zone): Seattle sets up early, showing two-high safety shells before rotating post-snap into entirely different coverage setups. Unlike standard match-zone teams, Seattle shifts into distinct, non-matching secondary assignments that disrupt a QB's rhythm.
• The Cornerback "Bail" Technique: Outside corners will press tight at the line before executing a "bail" technique, dropping deep into coverage at the snap while keeping their eyes locked squarely on the quarterback the whole time. Facing the ball directly gives them a massive jump on passes, driving up their interception totals!
• Position-less Chess Pieces: This scheme puts massive demands on the secondary. Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori are perfect fits because they are elite, position-less weapons who can seamlessly play high, low, slot corner, or safety on any given snap.
• Departures & Rookie Opportunities: The offseason departures of CB Riq Woolen and safety Coby Bryant leave starting vacancies that will force rookies Bud Clark and Julian Neal directly into the fire early in 2026. Expect opposing play-callers and veteran QBs to test them early and often. 

Fantasy & IDP Takeaway

Listen to me, #FAmily: defensive backs in Mike Macdonald’s system are absolute IDP goldmines! Because Macdonald relies on DBs to crash the box, blitz, and make plays on the ball, their tackle floors and big-play ceilings are through the roof.

Target rookies Bud Clark and Julian Neal aggressively in your rookie IDP drafts. Holding a secondary starter or high-snap backup in Seattle's defensive ecosystem will yield far more fantasy value than starting defensive backs on half the other teams across the league!

Best Fits for This Defense: Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, Nick Emmanwori

Worst Fits for This Defense: Ty Okada, Noah Igbinoghene