Seattle Seahawks: Tyler Lockett already a star WR

Don’t look now, but the Seattle Seahawks are fifth in the NFL in yards per game on offense, and Kansas State Wildcats rookie wide receiver Tyler Lockett is one of the three biggest reasons for their sudden surge on that side of the ball.

It may seem weird, but the team with the fourth-best record in the NFC might have the best shot of any team in the conference to make it to the Super Bowl, and if the Seattle Seahawks do indeed accomplish this feat as the No. 5 seed, then it would be their  third straight year playing February football.

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With the NFL’s second-best defense in terms of points per game allowed and a rising offense that is playing as well as anyone- and will be getting Marshawn Lynch back for the postseason, thus ending the potentially decent committee of Christine Michael and Bryce Brown- it’s hard not to fall in love with Seattle again. Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett, and Jermaine Kearse are balling out for star QB Russell Wilson, who is completing just two ticks under 69% of his passes. So, yeah, they aren’t missing Jimmy Graham or anything.

Baldwin has been the one racking up monster fantasy points and pouring touchdowns on defenses at will, and he currently has 905 receiving yards with 13 touchdowns to prove his merit. Wilson has helped make a star out of all of his receivers, but that shouldn’t stop us from praising his pass-catchers.

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Lockett, in particular, is deserving of attention, partially because everyone is busy lavishing praise on Baldwin’s shoulders (and, well, why not?). Ever since he was inserted as a starter on a more permanent basis in Week 10, the Seahawks offense has hit its stride, and that’s not a coincidence.

For starters, take a look at Baldwin’s numbers since Week 10.

Week 10 vs. Cardinals, 7 catches on 10 targets for 134 yards and a TD

Week 11 vs. 49ers, 6 catches on 6 targets for 60 yards

Week 12 vs. Steelers, 6 catches on 8 targets for 145 yards and 3 TDs

Week 13 vs. Vikings, 5 catches on 7 targets for 94 yards and 2 TDs

Week 14 vs. Ravens, 6 catches on 9 targets for 82 yards and 3 TDs

Week 15 vs. Browns, 4 catches on 6 targets for 45 yards and 2 TDs

Baldwin’s big numbers aren’t entirely due to Lockett’s increased role in the offense, but it’s hard to shake off the thought that it’s been a big factor. Lockett, to his credit, has an 86.2% catch rate over the past five games, so he’s done plenty on his own to help keep the ball moving for this Seahawks offense.

As a matter of fact, there are just ten players in the NFL this season with at least 20 receptions to average 10.0 yards per target. All three of the Seahawks top receivers are on this list, and Lockett leads all ten of these players with a 79.3% catch rate. That’s a rather ridiculous average, considering the fact that he hasn’t exactly been a dink-and-dunk receiver due to his 12.9 yards per reception. Lockett, like Baldwin, doesn’t drop passes, and he’s been even more of a handful for defenses after the catch.

The underlying numbers show that Lockett has been one of the NFL’s most efficient receivers this season, and his high catch rate is highly encouraging. It’s a sign that he is indeed as polished as advertised, and that can only mean big things for the Seahawks offense going forward. Lockett is 5’10” but has six touchdowns, showing serious big-play ability, which isn’t surprising to anyone who watched him in college or saw his big returns on special teams earlier this year.

Dec 6, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) against the Minnesota Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the Vikings 38-7. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Many draftniks were high on Lockett, and, so far, they can feel vindicated by his 46/595/6 line, as well as the fact that he’s made so few mistakes as a mere rookie. If he’s this mature, this matchup-proof, this valuable, this consistent, and this explosive in just his first season, then you can only imagine how good he’ll be in the future.

The Seahawks offense, barring Baldwin’s latest barrage of numbers, generally limits the offensive output of its receivers, particularly anybody who isn’t a No. 1 target. But with Lockett emerging along with Baldwin, perhaps that will change enough for the rookie to put up big numbers of his own (even as soon as this postseason).

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Some might say it’s too soon to declare that a star has been born in Lockett, but I’d like to jump on the bandwagon early. It’s almost uncanny how reliable he’s been, and he has that vital ability to make plays in space or vertically, using his speed and agility to roast defenses after using his hands and savvy to make the play in the first place.

RW3 is the reason for everyone’s success, but this final stat from Pro Football Focus is one reason why I’m so high on Lockett going forward.

All three of these receivers have sky-high WR ratings due to Wilson’s brilliance, but for Lockett to be No. 1 in the entire league and above his more experienced teammates? That’s something well-worth praising. If he had a higher volume role, we would be praising him as much as we praise Amari Cooper and Stefon Diggs.