Seahawks' Elijah Arroyo making case as rookie star, fantasy football tight end sleeper

Seahawks' Elijah Arroyo making case as rookie star, fantasy football tight end sleeper originally appeared on The Sporting News

Elijah Arroyo has a chance to be very good in the NFL.

He also has a chance to prove his talent right away. The Seattle Seahawks need a leader in their tight end rotation, and Arroyo might already be that guy as a rookie.

His most recent public action came Friday night, when he caught two passes for 19 yards in the Seahawks' second preseason game.

And this week, he received huge expectations from NFL Network's Michael Florio, who is targeting Arroyo as an exciting rookie to take in fantasy football drafts.

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Here's what Florio wrote:

"Arroyo is one of my favorite tight ends in this draft class. At 6-5 and 254 pounds, he's a huge target who could become an immediate factor in the red zone for the Seahawks. He also has better speed than you'd imagine for a player of his size. The combination of size and speed led to him having a lot more downfield usage than you typically see from a college tight end, and he can win after the catch. With Noah Fant no longer in Seattle, opportunity is up for grabs at the tight end position. This second-round draft pick could blossom into a weekly starter as the season progresses."

Out of Miami, Arroyo is a big, athletic target.

The Seahawks' decision to release Fant had mostly to do with his salary, yes, but it's also not a move Seattle would've made without feeling confident that Arroyo could take up the mantle immediately.

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Starting QB Sam Darnold completed all four passes he attempted in the second preseason game, including one to Arroyo.

How well Arroyo does this season will likely come down mostly to the kind of relationship he can build with Darnold.

The Seahawks look primed to throw the ball plenty with their new, expensive QB, so if Arroyo can become one of Darnold's favorites, it could be a great, great season ahead.

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