Darnold Expected to Miss Week 2

Sam Darnold is expected to miss the Seahawks' Week 2 game at Arizona after a right hip injury in Wednesday's opener. Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that Seattle has "dodged a bullet," with no structural damage and a return sooner rather than later, but the Cardinals date on Sept. 20 looks like Drew Lock's start.

That is the next-chapter update after X-rays already ruled out a fracture Thursday. Coach Mike Macdonald said on Seattle Sports 710 AM that the hip is intact and the issue looks muscular. "Really, really good news," he said, while admitting he does not yet know how long Darnold will be out.

Hospital night, MRI morning

Darnold went down on the opening possession when a sack drove his right knee into the turf at Lumen Field. He left for the locker room, spent the night at Harborview Medical Center because of the discomfort, and had an MRI Thursday morning, per ESPN. Macdonald called the fracture-out news positive and said the staff is still mapping a return plan with the extra rest before Arizona.

Asked on the radio if he expects Darnold to play the Cardinals, Macdonald answered like a coach who has already pictured Plan B: "In my mind I'm kind of thinking Drew is going to play. But no one has told me that."

Lock already won the Kickoff Game

Lock finished Wednesday's 13-10 win over the Patriots by completing 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown, with no turnovers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught the 45-yard score that tied it in the fourth. Seattle's defense sealed it with late picks, including Josh Jobe's end-zone interception with 21 seconds left.

For Seahawks fantasy boards, Lock is the Week 2 play at Arizona until practice notes say otherwise. Darnold's hip dodged the nightmare structural tag, but Macdonald is already thinking about the backup under center. Title defense does not pause for MRI language. Lock gets the rock in the desert unless Thursday's good news turns into a surprise clearance next week.

Seattle hosts Washington in Week 3 after Arizona, then gets Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco at home. That schedule gives Darnold a soft landing if the muscular hip only costs him one start. Lock's body of work as a fill-in still sits at 10-18 as a career starter, including a 1-1 stretch for Seattle in 2023, so this is a short-term bridge, not a permanent handover. Fans should watch Monday's practice window for the real Week 2 declaration.