Pittsburgh aims to balance the attack with a steadier ground game, hoping for more than 53 yards at roughly 2.7 per carry to ease Rodgers’s path and open the passing game. A clean pocket and measured run volume keep Seattle honest and fragment the Seahawks’ defensive plan.

Protection for Broderick Jones and a disciplined ground mix are critical, as Seattle’s front seeks to tilt a potential low-scoring affair. Seattle will try to force Darnold into making plays, while JSN remains the focal point of Seattle’s aerial attack, possibly shadowed by Ramsey to stifle the primary target.

Look for JSN’s role to define Seattle’s air output, with Rams-like tempo and the Steelers exploiting any misreads. Fantasy managers should monitor Jones’s protection, the Steelers’ run cadence, and how Jackson Smith-Njigba is mapped by the defense to gauge upside for Pitt players.

Dallas aims for its first 2025 win against New York, a team they’ve dominated lately. The Giants come in as underdogs with Daboll on the hot seat after back-to-back poor seasons, while Kafka shifts play-calling duties to focus on development. Fantasy angles hinge on Cowboys’ RBs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders carrying the ground game, Dak Prescott leaning on play-action, and Giants’ front seven trying to slow the run and pressure Prescott.

Giants personnel like Leonard Williams, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Bobby Okereke headline a defense that must curb the rushing attack, while Russell Wilson faces a must-improve day as New York’s opponent. The Dallas defense will also test a vulnerable New York run game, and odds emphasize a Cowboys edge despite the rivalry history. DFS and prop bets should hinge on pace, red-zone opportunities, and game-script for both sides.

Seattle’s 2025 cap narrative centers on rookie contracts as the backbone. Rookie deals take up 18.4% of the cap in 2025, with 41 of 53 Seahawks players on rookie deals, and cap space higher than most teams. Yet dead money from exits like Metcalf, Geno Smith, Dre'Mont Jones, and Tyler Lockett casts a cloud over 2024 departures, while the core rookies Cross, Abe Lucas, Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba lay groundwork for a cost-controlled future that could pay dividends in fantasy upside as the roster matures.

Seattle’s defense is poised for a leap in 2025 with Mike Macdonald’s scheme, as Nick Emmanwori rises as a dark-horse Defensive Rookie of the Year contender and veterans like Leonard Williams and Devon Witherspoon anchor the unit. Offensively, Klint Kubiak is unifying the attack while fresh faces join the fold, including Elijah Arroyo and Tory Horton, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the mix. Seattle finished 10-7 in 2024 and aims to capitalize on late-season momentum into the new year.

The article notes high-stakes roster shakeups with DK Metcalf moving to Pittsburgh and Geno Smith finding a new line of support, while Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp arrive to energize the attack. Seattle’s draft adds depth and youth, boosting the ceiling for a division threat that could surprise in a tougher NFC landscape. It’s a brand-new chapter, built on a stronger defense and a more cohesive offense.