Myles Garrett Is in the NFC West Now, and Sam Darnold's Fantasy Future Is Looking BRUTAL

Alright 12s, it's barely past mid-June, and I know your minds are probably still on the M's or even getting hyped for Kraken playoff runs next season, but hold up, because fantasy football draft season is already creeping up on us! And let me tell you, if you're planning on drafting our man Sam Darnold in your league, you need to hear this. Some major post-June 1 trades have dropped, and one of them is going to hit our Seahawks hard. Myles Garrett is officially headed to the Los Angeles Rams, and the computer simulations are already screaming that this is bad news for our offense, especially our quarterback.

The Garrett Effect on Our Seahawks

Yeah, you read that right. Myles freaking Garrett is now solidifying the Rams as one of the top fantasy defenses in the league. For us, that means life just got a whole lot tougher for *every* NFC West opponent, including our own Sam Darnold. This isn't just some pundit's hot take either. A proven computer model, the same one that called Daniel Jones' big season with the Colts where he was QB10 before getting hurt, has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times! That's ten THOUSAND games, folks. And the outcome for our guy? It's not looking pretty when he's got Garrett breathing down his neck. Imagine going up against that defense twice a year, minimum. It's a huge shift, making it harder for Darnold, Christian McCaffrey, and even Brock Purdy to put up those big fantasy numbers we love. Coach Macdonald and OC Fleury are gonna have their hands full scheming against this, and it impacts everything from play-calling to game flow. Our receivers, Jaxon

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Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Cooper Kupp, are going to have to be on point to shake off that kind of pressure.

Sleepers and the Model's Unreal Track Record

Now, while we're talking about this super-smart model, it's not all doom and gloom for *everybody* on your fantasy radar. The same model is also flagging some serious sleepers for 2026, and one name popping up is Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell. Get this: last year in Pittsburgh, Gainwell set career highs with 1,023 scrimmage yards and 8 touchdowns! The dude was balling out. Now he's in Tampa, replacing Rachaad White, who apparently took off for Washington. Gainwell could be an absolute steal. This model isn't just guessing either. It nailed Jonathan Taylor's monstrous 2021 season, called Rachaad White's breakout in 2023 (before he left Tampa, apparently!), and even accurately identified Isiah Pacheco as a bust in 2025. Plus, it's got a history of picking up sleepers like A.J. Brown in 2020, Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams back in 2017. So, when it talks, we should probably listen, especially when it comes to who to grab late and who might be a trap. So, what does this all mean for you, the fantasy fanatic bleeding green and blue? It means you need to start strategizing *now*. Don't get caught sleeping on these early insights. With training camps just over a month away, and OTAs already giving us clues, the 2026 fantasy landscape is taking shape. Be ready for draft day, because with Myles Garrett terrorizing the NFC West, navigating your fantasy season just got a whole lot more interesting, especially if you're betting on our Seahawks to light up the scoreboard.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.