The Seahawks’ win over the previously unbeaten Chiefs changed the temperature around this roster in a hurry, and the trust index reflects that. Some names surged after Seattle’s demolition job.
Others slid. And with the big trade with the Colts in the mix, the whole board got shaken up.
At the very top, Jaxon Smith-Njigba doesn’t just stay put - he stands alone. The case is simple enough: he leads the NFL in receiving yards by more than 200, and he also sits first among receivers in first downs and touchdowns.
That’s not a hot streak. That’s an alpha.
Nick Emmanwori is climbing fast, too. As a safety, Julian Love is still the standard, but Emmanwori brings something different because he can step up and function like a linebacker. The scary part, from everyone else’s point of view, is that he’s still getting better.
The Seahawks’ mainstays include some expected names and one newcomer in a very unusual spot. Quenton Nelson lands there for now, even though he hasn’t played a snap for Seattle yet.
The reasoning is straightforward: the scheme and terminology are different, so he has to prove himself in this setting. For this week, though, he’s being treated as Seattle’s best guard since The Glove.
Michael Dicskon also earns a place among the steady hands. He’s punted 27 times, and Seattle’s opponents have managed just 22 return yards total.
Only four of those punts have even been returned, and the average return has been .81 yards. That’s brutal.
And the punt that sliced from Spokane to Tacoma? Wow.
Sam Darnold is pushing toward the upper tier after his work against Kansas City. Outside of one interception, he was nearly spotless running the offense.
The source of that pick is also noted: either JSN or Rashid Shaheed ran the wrong route. If Darnold can put together another clean outing against Da Bears - the good stuff, not the pick - he’ll keep moving up.
Tyrice Knight is one of the biggest risers on the list. He finished with eight tackles and one for a loss, and he played a major role in helping shut down Kenneth Walker III, who is described here as the best running back in the league. Knight has clearly earned more trust, and when Drake Thomas gets healthy again, his path back onto the field may not be clear.
Rashid Shaheed, by contrast, is still in the proving ground. Against the Chiefs, he caught two passes for one yard.
He did add 32 yards on his lone return and avoided a fumble, but that’s not enough to inspire much confidence as a second or third option for Darnold. He’s also out for the Monday night tilt, so Week 9 will be the next checkpoint.
Zach Charbonnet is in the same section, though for a different reason. His game is built on consistency, not speed, and he’s here because this will be his first action back since his ACL injury. He’s confirmed for Week 8 and is expected to rotate with the newly elevated Jadarian Price.
Price may have the most to prove of anyone on the list. In three games as a starter, he averaged .7 more yards per carry than Emanuel Wilson and nearly twice as many broken tackles. Over 220 carries, that would project to 150 more yards - and four times as many fumbles, which obviously can’t happen.
Anthony Bradford is the clearest faller. With Grey Zabel moving to right guard to make room for Nelson, Bradford is headed to the bench, where the source says he’s really belonged for the past four seasons.
His stock had risen after the Chiefs game because he outplayed the players who had been ahead of him, but now he’s back in a rotational role and serving as a tush-push driver for the next Barnyard play. As a backup, he still has value.
That’s where he belongs.
Christian Haynes sits at the bottom as an afterthought. He was put on waivers and then picked up by another team, with the Miami Dolphins signing him. The Seahawks were evidently comfortable enough letting him go that even Miami was able to grab him.
In Other News...
Seahawks Just Got Pulled Into A Much Bigger Colts Shakeup
The Colts latest reset has already reached Seattle, with Indianapolis shipping guard Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks as part of a broader fire sale that also sent defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the 49ers. It is the kind of move that instantly changes the conversation around a team, because Nelson is one of the most recognizable names on the market and his arrival gives Seattle a major addition up front while the Colts continue reshaping the roster.
Jonathan Taylor remains part of the story, too, even if Indianapolis is not actively trying to move him. The Colts are receiving calls on the running back, and the whole AFC South picture has been jolted by Tennessees decision to deal defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons after a significant draft-capital offer helped speed up its rebuild. For Seattle, the immediate impact is obvious, but the larger ripple effect is that this trade may only be the first sign of a much bigger shakeup. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Have A Primetime Chance To Unleash Some Unexpected Difference-Makers
Seattles recent surge has created a different kind of conversation around its roster, one that goes beyond the usual headliners and into the players who could tilt a primetime matchup in subtle ways. Against the Chicago Bears, the Seahawks are in position to lean on a few names that may not always dominate the weekly spotlight but could matter plenty if the game unfolds the way their recent form suggests.
Byron Murphy II, Tory Horton, Julian Love and Sam Darnold are among the players worth watching for Seattle, especially with injuries and matchup dynamics shaping how the night could play out. The intrigue here is less about a single obvious star and more about whether the Seahawks can squeeze unexpected production from different parts of the roster when the stage gets bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face A Jadarian Price Decision Bigger Than Just Monday Night
The Seahawks are getting healthier at the right time, with a primetime matchup against the Bears bringing the expected debut of left guard Quenton Nelson and the return of Zach Charbonnet from injury. Amid that shuffle, rookie running back Jadarian Price has quietly become part of the conversation too, as Seattle weighs whether to activate him from injured reserve after a chest injury.
Prices situation is about more than one game, because the Seahawks are also sorting through what his place on the roster might look like once everyone is available. There has been speculation around whether he could factor into a larger backfield move, especially with Seattle linked to the idea of adding Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, which makes this week feel like a decision point rather than just a return from IR. [Read more 🡒]