Tyler Lockett Fantasy News and Statistics

The athleticism possessed by Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett should not really surprise anyone. After all, he was a standout three-sport high school athlete (basketball, track and football) in Tulsa, OK. He was recruited heavily both as a wide receiver and cornerback out of the prep ranks, but he settled on going to the next level as an offensive player.

The initial goal for Lockett when he enrolled at Kansas State in 2011 was for him to redshirt his first season, but that did not end up being the case. His team needed him as its return man. Since he was active on the roster and displayed great ability on special teams, he started to show off his skill set as a wide receiver as the year progressed. In the team’s blowout win over Kansas, he had five receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Lockett ended up missing the final four games of the season with a lacerated kidney, though.

Since he showed he was capable of having a big game, Lockett earned a bigger role on offense for his sophomore year. He made nine catches for 194 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a blowout win over West Virginia. He was fortunate to play for a dominant team that eventually earned a berth to the Fiesta Bowl, so he often received playing time in blowout victories. By the end of the season, he had amassed a respectable 687 receiving yards.

Following the 2012 campaign, Kansas State lost Chris Harper to graduation. That resulted in Lockett becoming the team’s go-to wide receiver his junior and senior years. Between the two seasons, he had 22 touchdown receptions and about 2,800 receiving yards. His senior year, he was named a First Team All-American and capped off his career with a 13-catch, 167-yard performance in the Alamo Bowl in 2014.

As an All-American, Lockett was an appealing draft choice, especially because of his value as a return man. As a result, he was selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks to join their offense led by quarterback Russell Wilson.

Lockett impressed in the preseason his rookie year, returning a kick 103 yards for a touchdown. He also made himself a viable receiving target, serving as the team’s No. 3 wideout behind Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse. In 2015, Lockett had an impressively high 75 percent catch rate on 68 targets, which allowed him to increase his workload as the year progressed. In fact, he caught seven of seven balls intended for him one week against the Minnesota Vikings after going 3-for-3 in receptions the previous game.

Lockett’s catch rate inevitably fell in 2016, so while he got virtually the same number of targets, he only ended up with 41 receptions instead of 51. His season ended with a leg injury in Week 16. Kearse is no longer with the Seahawks, so if Lockett is healthy and playing to his full ability, there is potential for a breakout season.