Tue, Mar 12, 2013 at 5:21pm

SEATTLE STEALS HARVIN FROM THE VIKES

The Seattle Seahawks acquired wide receiver / return man Percy Harvin from the Minnesota Vikings for a first-round draft pick in 2013, no. 25 overall, a seventh-round draft pick in 2013, and an unspecified draft pick in 2014.

What does it give the Seattle Seahawks
This is simply a steal for the Seahawks. Even though a first-round pick is coveted by most NFL teams, Harvin is probably one of the top five playmakers in the NFL: a true speedster and big-play wideout who can change games as both a receiver and a return man. When paired with rising stars {P Russell Wilson} (at QB) and {P Marshawn Lynch} (at tailback), Harvin should help Seattle's offense catch up to its elite defense and ensure Super Bowl contention for years to come. The 'Hawks passed for only 189.4 yards per game last season, so Harvin fills a major need. Now they need to re-sign him.

What does it give the Minnesota Vikings
Harvin was publicly disgruntled in Minnesota, and it seems the Vikings weren't prepared to do what it took to keep him happy (which, rumors suggest, would have involved a massive raise and contract extension). By trading him here they'll likely get a quality player with the draft pick (at No. 25 overall), but it won't likely be a player as good as Harvin. Moreover, losing by far their top wideout turns a dismal pass attack into probably the league's worst, after Minnesota averaged the second-fewest pass yards per game in 2012 (171.9). It's hard to like this deal on any level for the Vikings.

Fantasy impact
Assuming the Seahawks ink Harvin to an extension, he should be ready to immediately provide them with a true downfield playmaker and star for {P Russell Wilson} to throw to (which boosts Wilson's fantasy appeal as much as Harvin's). With {P Golden Tate} on the rise for Seattle, this deal probably somewhat downgrades the 2013 forecast for {P Sidney Rice}, who didn't quite provide the star power the team was looking for in its No. 1 target. On the Vikings side, losing Harvin is devastating for their passing game and should hurt the fantasy values of QB {P Christian Ponder} and superstar tailback {P=9379 Adrian Peterson} (who will see even more attention than usual now from opposing defenses). It's unclear which of Minny's less-than-stellar wideouts will step up with Harvin gone, but talented {P Jarius Wright} is likely to see an increased workload.