​The Seattle Seahawks paid Rashid Shaheed like a central piece of their offense. Now they must decide whether their $51 million receiver should continue carrying two of the NFL’s most demanding special teams jobs.The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf named Shaheed as Seattle’s leading breakout candidate for the 2026 season, pointing to the receiver’s untapped potential and new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s experience finding creative uses for explosive players.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA breakout would mean something different for Shaheed than it does for most players carrying that label. He is already a Pro Bowl return specialist and was one of Seattle’s most consequential midseason additions during its run to a Super Bowl championship.What Shaheed has not yet become is a consistently featured NFL receiver.That opportunity could arrive in his first full season with the Seahawks.Seattle acquired Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints in November 2025, sending fourth- and fifth-round draft choices in the deal. The Seahawks then signed him to a multiyear contract on March 11, ensuring he would remain part of the offense and special teams beyond the championship season.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementShaheed caught 15 passes for 188 yards in nine regular-season games with Seattle. He also carried seven times for 64 yards, an average of 9.1 yards per attempt. Before the trade, he had recorded 44 catches for 499 yards and two touchdowns in nine games with New Orleans.Those numbers do not suggest a conventional No. 1 receiver, nor does Seattle need Shaheed to become one.Jaxon Smith-Njigba enters the season as the centerpiece of the passing game after his own breakout campaign. Cooper Kupp remains a dependable veteran target, although The Athletic noted that he missed at least five games in each of the three seasons preceding 2025.Shaheed’s value is that he offers something different from both.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHis vertical speed can force safeties to defend more of the field, creating room underneath for Smith-Njigba and Kupp. Seattle can also manufacture touches through jet sweeps, motion and quick throws rather than asking Shaheed to win only on deep routes.He showed that versatility after the trade. His 31-yard jet sweep during the 2025 season was one example of how Seattle could get the ball to him without relying on a traditional dropback pass.Fleury spent seven years with the San Francisco 49ers before replacing Klint Kubiak as Seattle’s offensive coordinator.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDuring his introductory press conference, Fleury described his desired offense as fast, violent and aggressive. He has also emphasized maintaining the successful foundation left by Kubiak rather than forcing a complete schematic reset.Shaheed fits both ideas.He already has familiarity with the movement-heavy offensive concepts Seattle used under Kubiak, who also coached him in New Orleans. Fleury can reta