Elijah

Arroyo

Fowlers said the team expects Barner to be more involved as a pass catcher in 2026 after recording 52 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns last season (while being targeted on 19 percent of his routes). Barner, following multiple offseason surgeries to clean up nagging injuries, is fully healthy and ready for a more prominent role in Seattle’s offense. New Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, meanwhile, is expected to use plenty of two tight end sets in 2026, meaning TE Elijah Arroyo could see an increase in snaps and routes. Barner has a little bit of extra hidden upside as the Seahawks’ primary tush push option near the goal line.

That apparently includes in both pad-less and padded practices. Henderson does add the same was true last summer before the then No. 50 overall pick went on to have a quiet rookie year. Arroyo dealt with knee issues after they were a red flag during his pre-draft process. Drafted in part to be an after-the-catch weapon, Arroyo could be left fighting for designed touches to begin the season. He is comfortably behind AJ Barner on both the depth chart and in average draft position. We’ll let you know if he keeps lighting up camp.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald revealed on Wednesday that Arroyo was working through something, but was expected to be ready for training camp. Getting back early, even in a limited capacity, is good to see. Arroyo’s past few years, both in college and in his NFL rookie season, have been slowed by knee issues. Fellow backup TE Eric Saubert resumed practicing as well. Hopefully, both players are practicing fully before long.

Apparently, Arroyo and fellow TE Eric Saubert are not practicing this week. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said that “they’re just working through some stuff, but it’s positive for training camp.” Saubert is not expected to be fantasy-relevant, but this is a tad concerning for Arroyo, who entered the NFL as a 2025 rookie with injury-related concerns. Continued knee issues landed Arroyo on injured reserve last season. We hope to see him take the field at, or before, training camp next month.

Arroyo was not targeted as he made his postseason debut after battling a knee injury. The No. 50 overall pick of the draft, Arroyo ended up languishing behind second-year fourth-rounder AJ Barner. Arroyo caught more than two passes one time all year, and was a non-factor for the season’s stretch run. Arroyo is young (23 in April) at a complex position, but so is Barner. Arroyo’s draft pedigree means he should maintain some long-term benefit of the doubt in dynasty leagues, but 2026 seems unlikely to be the year he breaks out in fantasy football.

With Kallerup out of the lineup, Seahawks second-round rookie TE Elijah Arroyo will make his postseason debut. Arroyo has been impacted by a late-season knee injury. He will likely operate as the team’s No. 3 tight end today. Ouzts, a fan favorite, is sidelined by a neck injury. Milroe is inactive, but will serve as the emergency third quarterback.

Arroyo is a surprise scratch after being activated from injured reserve earlier this week. The rookie tight end logged a full week of practice and was removed from the team’s final injury report, so it’s hard to say why the team opted to sit him for Sunday’s championship game against the Rams. AJ Barner could be in line to see a bigger workload with Arroyo out. In addition to Arroyo the Seahawks also declared LB Jared Ivey, OG Christian Haynes, OT Amari Kight, FB Robbie Ouzts, QB Jalen Milroe, and RB Velus Jones inactive against the Rams.

He’ll play in the NFC Championship game, though his role might be small. Arroyo has been sidelined since Week 14 and hasn’t drawn more than two targets since Week 7’s win over the Texans. Perhaps the Seahawks will scheme up some downfield shots to him — the fact that they’re barely doing that with a healthy Rashid Shaheed probably makes Arroyo a stay-away in DFS contests this weekend.

The Seahawks designated Arroyo to return from injured reserve on January 7th, opening his 21-day practice window. Evidently, he is not yet ready to resume playing, though he was able to practice fully all week. If the Seahawks beat the 49ers and advance to the NFC Championship Game, Arroyo seemingly has decent odds of making a return.

Arroyo was placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury in Week 14 but is nearing a return after a full practice on Tuesday. He was designated to return last week and looks to be in good shape to return to his rotational tight end role for the Divisional Round against the 49ers. With AJ Barner (hip) also fully practicing, the Seahawks tight end room is in good shape for the playoffs.