The Seattle Seahawks have reached the first quarter of the 2026 season at 3-1, and likely should be 4-0 if not for a Week 3 loss to the Washington Commanders and backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. Head coach Mike Macdonald's team is trending toward the playoffs again.
The team has managed to survive without starting quarterback Sam Darnold for two games, and his replacement, Drew Lock, isn't mentioned as a winner here, but he could be. Lock played extremely well, and maybe well enough for another team to make him its QB1 beginning next season.
As for new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, the jury is still somewhat out. The team has scored points in the last two games, but struggles in short-yardage situations. For the Seahawks to defend their Super Bowl title, that must change.
The Seattle Seahawks' biggest winners and losers at the quarter mark of the 2026 season
Winner: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
JSN isn't currently leading the league in receiving yards, but he did have at least 122 yards in each of his first three games. He does, though, lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns (six) and the longest pass play of the season (82 yards).
Any concerns that his elite 2025 season was an aberration already appear to have been dismissed. Even though defenses know he is going to get the ball the majority of the time when Seattle throws the ball, he is still nearly impossible to start.
Winner: Emanuel Wilson
Seattle has needed some running back to step up in the absence of Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, and that has been Wilson so far. Charbonnet is still trying to come back from a knee injury in last season's playoffs, and Price suffered a chest injury in Week 3.
Twice this season, Wilson has gotten 21 carries in a game, and each time he has run for at least 81 yards. In Week 4's victory against the Los Angeles Chargers, Wilson had two touchdowns, including one by catch. One could argue that without Wilson, the Seahawks don't win the game.
Winner: Rodney Thomas II
Thomas might not play much the rest of the season, but with starter Ty Okada missing the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury, Thomas has stepped into his spot and been solid. This is especially surprising since Thomas began the season on the practice squad.
Thomas has three passes defended, allowed just eight of his 15 targets to be completed, and missed only 7.7 percent of his tackle attempts. He might not ever be viewed as a long-time starter for Seattle, but his four-game audition might have shown another team that he could start for them in the future.
Winner: Nehemiah Pritchett
After two seasons of rather underwhelming play, Pritchett has taken advantage of getting more reps this season. He's started one game, but has played 56 percent of snaps, a number that keeps increasing. It should be based on Pritchett's ability to cover well and his stunning and sudden capability to play physical football.
Only seven of the 12 passes thrown toward Pritchett have been completed, and he hasn't allowed a touchdown while intercepting one pass and breaking up three others. His quarterback rating allowed is a very low 48.3. Might he be a long-term starter for Seattle eventually?
Loser: Dante Fowler Jr.
The Seattle Seahawks coaching staff will keep saying good things about Fowler, but his use so far speaks much louder. Every other of the team's top-four edge rushers has more than twice as many snaps as Fowler.
The veteran free agent signing has only four quarterback pressures, no sacks, one tackle (and one missed tackle), and one run stuff. That isn't enough for someone who was expected to help replace Boye Mafe, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency.
Loser: Tory Horton
Horton has to be asking what else he has to do to get pass targets. He has only been thrown to four times in three games; he's caught every pass (two when he had to twist and turn to make the catch) and caught a touchdown on a wicked slant route.
Horton isn't a "loser" because he has done anything wrong, but because he hasn't been given a chance to do much right or wrong. He's only played on 26 percent of snaps. He needs the ball more because good things happen when he has it.
Loser: Anthony Bradford
The starting right guard is in the final season of his rookie contract, and he needs to show he is worthy of getting a second deal from the Seahawks. Instead, he has suffered a knee injury and has only played in one game, allowing three quarterback pressures in 28 pass-block reps.
To make matters worse for him, his replacements, Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens, have been just as good as, if not better than, Bradford. One of them, probably Stephens, will likely be starting at right guard by 2027, and Bradford will be looking for a new team to play for.
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