Can Tory Horton Have a Fantasy Football-Relevant Role With the Seahawks?

NFL wide receivers taken in the fifth round these days have to be like that one meme of Druski pointing to himself. Me? I'm the next Puka Nacua?

At the very least, Nacua set the precedent that big-time NFL production as a rookie can come from all parts of the draft if opportunity, talent, and offensive efficiency align.

Could that be the case for Tory Horton with the Seattle Seahawks? In a year with buzzy rookies all over the fantasy landscape, Horton's name really isn't mentioned, but he's rising up the depth chart, and the Seahawks' wide receiver room isn't super deep.

Let's take a look at Horton's draft profile and see if the Emerald City truly found a gem.

Note: A player's average draft position (ADP) data comes from FantasyPros' half-PPR data. The basis for rounds used in this piece is from 12-player leagues.

Tory Horton Draft Profile and Rookie Year Outlook

If you heard Horton's name before the draft, it might have been here.

I got pretty darn aggressive with the former Colorado State Rams wideout after seeing he landed in the fifth round to perhaps the receiver-neediest team in the league. He was 11th in my post-draft dynasty rookie rankings, and I also identified him as a potential late-round dynasty sleeper.

Though I can't say he was a bonafide steal when outside the top 100 of my own 2025 NFL Draft rankings at WR13, Horton's college success is pretty undeniable. He was fourth among drafted WRs in yards per route run (3.65 YPRR) among those that drew at least 25 targets. This was after consecutive 1,100-yard seasons out wide in Fort Collins.

Unfortunately, Horton tore his ACL early last year in college. That's what made it stunning that he was able to come back in March and run a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. His entire combine results were off the charts, too.

Horton was the top wideout for CSU for three years and is still just 22 years old. If he didn't tear his ACL and added another 1,500-plus-yard campaign, would he have been a Day 2 pick? Well, he was just outside my top 100 despite the knee issue.

My lone concern for Horton was, at a slighter frame, potential injury risk. Compounding the knee injury with an ankle tweak in training camp isn't an ideal start for that, but we're getting a pretty clear picture that he's got some juice when healthy.

Is Tory Horton Relevant in 2025 Fantasy Football Leagues?

There's one pass-catcher we know is going to be relevant in fantasy football in Seattle, and that's Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

After that? All bets might be off.

The team brought in 32-year-old Cooper Kupp as the hypothetical WR2, but Kupp is far from a known entity after missing 18 total games over the last three seasons and completely fading down the stretch of the Los Angeles Rams' 2024 season. He posted just 49.8 receiving yards and 9.2 fantasy points per game (FPPG) after Week 10 (incl. playoffs).

In three-receiver sets, Horton is battling Marquez Valdes-Scantling for work. The notorious boom-or-bust deep threat is 30 himself and drew just nine targets in six games for the Buffalo Bills to end his 2024.

Those two are why we've seen the rookie, Horton, working with the starters in the preseason.

In Klint Kubiak's first year as offensive coordinator, it's worth noting that his New Orleans Saints offense easily supported two wideouts last year when Derek Carr was healthy. In five games last year that Carr, Rashid Shaheed, and Chris Olave played together, it was actually Shaheed who led the way in target share (26.5%) and FPPG (12.8). Olave didn't get off to a great start but was still alive (21.2% target share and 9.0 FPPG).

As a quarterback, Sam Darnold also supported the WR3 and WR21 in FPPG last year with the Minnesota Vikings in the form of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison using a similar scheme. Seattle also made a significant offensive line upgrade with Grey Zabel in the first round of April's draft.

Obviously, Horton can't yet be put on the radar as someone as productive as Olave or Addison, but this track record does inspire hope another non-JSN target can emerge from this offense. Kupp's WR42 ADP suggests it'll be him, but what happens if -- or perhaps when -- the veteran misses time? What if Kupp is dust from the outset?

As of now, Horton is most commonly seen as just an exciting dynasty dart, but don't be surprised if he's on our early "waiver wire targets" pieces. If that's the case, it might be worth it to scoop him up for your bench now in deeper redraft leagues or best-ball formats.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.