Smith-Njigba recorded 63 receptions on 93 targets for 628 yards and four touchdowns across 17 games in 2023.
Smith-Njigba was the first wideout off the board in April's draft but finished 10th among all pass-catchers in receiving yards and ninth in receptions. The Ohio State product was the Seahawks' clear No. 3 receiver behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, who combined for more than 2,000 receiving yards. Smith-Njigba won't turn 22 years old until February, so he has plenty of runway to develop. It will be tough for him to truly thrive as long as Lockett and Metcalf are around, though.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Notches TD on only catch Sunday
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Smith-Njigba gathered in one of two passes for 12 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Steelers.
The target count matched Smith-Njigba's second fewest in a game on the season, but he reached the end zone from 12 yards out to salvage his Week 17. Meanwhile, all of WRs DK Metcalf (eight) and Tyler Lockett (five), TE Noah Fant (six) and RB Zach Charbonnet (five) were targeted on at least five occasions. Smith-Njigba will aim to get back on track Week 18 on the road against a Cardinals defense that has given up the fifth-most yards per target (8.9) to opposing wide receivers on the campaign.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Full practice Thursday
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Smith-Njigba (knee) practiced fully Thursday, Curtis Crabtree of Fox 13 Seattle reports.
After a knee injury resulted in Smith-Njigba being limited at Wednesday's walkthrough, the rookie wide receiver was able to handle every practice rep one day later, paving the way for him to suit up Sunday against the Steelers. The same can be said for undrafted rookie WR Jake Bobo (knee), while Dee Eskridge (ribs) didn't practice again Thursday and DK Metcalf (back) was added to the Seahawks' injury report as a DNP. There's no indication yet that Metcalf may be in danger of sitting out this weekend, but if he's inhibited or inactive, Smith-Njigba would be in line for a bigger workload alongside Tyler Lockett.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Dealing with knee concern
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Smith-Njigba was limited at Wednesday's walkthrough due to a knee injury, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
Smith-Njigba consistently has earned a snap share of at least 60 percent per game since the Seahawks' Week 5 bye, recording a 47-540-3 receiving line on 66 targets over the last 11 contests. The rookie first-round pick has yet to break through with the first signature performance of his career, though, which isn't a shock on a team that stresses the run game and also features veteran wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Smith-Njigba will now have to work his way past a health concern in order to suit up Sunday versus the Steelers.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Hauls in six passes Sunday
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Smith-Njigba recorded six catches (on seven targets) for 61 yards during Sunday's 20-17 win at Tennessee.
Smith-Njigba welcomed back Geno Smith (groin) to the lineup after the quarterback missed the previous two games. While Smith-Njigba's output wasn't out of the realm of previous games during his rookie campaign, he surpassed 60 yards receiving for the fourth time in 15 contests and was only three yards shy of setting a new career high. As long as DK Metcalf (4-56-1 on six targets Sunday) and Tyler Lockett (8-81-0 on 11 targets) are healthy, Smith-Njigba will continue to play third fiddle, at best, in the Seahawks' passing game. Smith-Njigba's next chance to produce arrives Sunday, Dec. 31 against the Steelers.
Smith-Njigba caught all four of his targets for 48 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 20-17 win over Philadelphia.
Smith-Njigba played the role of hero for Seattle when he caught the game-winning touchdown with just seconds left in Monday's narrow victory. The rookie wideout had just three catches on three targets for 19 yards prior to scoring in the closing moments, so his role remains small despite producing a solid fantasy line in the win. Smith-Njigba should continue offering deep-league value when the Seahawks take on the Titans in Week 16.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Catches four passes
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Smith-Njigba caught four of seven targets for 25 yards in Sunday's 28-16 loss to the 49ers.
Smith-Njigba looked like he was starting to heat up ahead of Week 14. However, Drew Lock got the starting nod in place of Geno Smith (groin), and Smith-Njigba only caught short passes as a result. Smith-Njigba's longest catch of the day was for 11 yards against this fierce divisional foe. He'll continue to work as the No. 3 wideout in this rotation, but the rookie's upside has been limited all year. He has yet to surpass 63 receiving yards in a game, and he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 8.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Seven grabs in loss
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Smith-Njigba brought in seven of 11 targets for 62 yards in the Seahawks' 41-35 loss to the Cowboys on Thursday night.
The rookie led the Seahawks in receptions with a new single-game-high catch total, and he was just a yard short of equaling his high-water mark in that category as well. Smith-Njigba's target total also was his highest yet, and he's now drawn at least five looks in four of the last five games. He could be in for another busy game when Seattle engages in a rematch with the high-powered 49ers on the road Week 14.
Smith-Njigba brought in two of three targets for 41 yards in the Seahawks' 31-13 loss to the 49ers on Thursday.
The rookie led the Seahawks in receiving yards despite a relatively modest total, with that feat largely accomplished via a game-long 34-yard one-handed grab down the right sideline early in the third quarter. Smith-Njigba now has a streak of four games with 40+ receiving yards, one he'll look to extend in a Week 13 Thursday night road matchup versus the Cowboys.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Finishes third in receiving yards
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Smith-Njigba had three receptions on six targets for 40 yards in Sunday's 17-16 loss to the Rams.
Smith-Njigba would have had a fourth reception for 22 additional yards had the Rams not challenged the wideout's diving attempt in the first quarter and had the call correctly changed to an incompletion. Still, it was another solid outing from Seattle's slot receiver, who is averaging four receptions and 50.5 yards in six games since the team's bye in Week 5. Smith-Njigba should continue providing consistent value to managers in deeper leagues when the Seahawks host the 49ers for Thursday Night Football in Week 12.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Sleeper WRs
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Smith-Njigba cooled off in Week 10 against Washington with only four catches for 53 yards on five targets. Prior to that, he scored at least 12.3 PPR points in three games in a row, and I hope he gets back to that level in Week 11 against the Rams. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are still the top two Fantasy receivers for the Seahawks, and both are dominating targets, which makes sense. But Smith-Njigba can still be a serviceable No. 3 Fantasy receiver in this matchup. The Rams have allowed four receivers to score at least 12.9 PPR points in their past three games.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Reels in four passes
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Smith-Njigba caught four of five targets for 53 yards in Sunday's 29-26 win over the Commanders.
After a slow start to the season, Smith-Njigba has been consistent over the past five weeks, averaging 52.6 receiving yards per game and totaling two touchdowns. The rookie first-round pick still hasn't put forth a true breakout performance -- 63 yards is his season high -- but it's encouraging that he's a steady part of the offense. The Seahawks will face the Rams' young secondary in Week 11, so Smith-Njigba will have a favorable matchup even if he's still the No. 3 receiving option behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Full practice Thursday
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Smith-Njigba (hip) was a full practice participant Thursday, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
Smith-Njigba was held out of drills Wednesday due to a hip concern, but his ability to handle every rep one day later indicates he's good to go for Week 10 action. He'll be facing a Commanders defense on Sunday that has given up the second-most touchdowns (13) and most yards per catch (9.9) to opposing wide receivers in nine games this season.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Dealing with hip issue
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Smith-Njigba was a non-participant at Wednesday's practice due to a hip injury, John Boyle of the Seahawks' official site reports.
Since tending to a slight fracture in his wrist late in the preseason, Smith-Njigba has avoided the injury bug en route to a collective 29-272-2 receiving line on 43 targets in eight games to begin his career. Most of that production (17-210-2 on 23 targets) has come over the last four contests, but the rookie first-round draft pick now is dealing with a new health concern as Seattle prepares to host the Commanders on Sunday. As a result, Smith-Njigba's status should be watched as the week goes on to ensure his status for Week 10 isn't in any danger.
Smith-Njigba recorded six receptions on seven targets for 63 yards in Sunday's 37-3 loss to Baltimore.
The majority of Smith-Njigba's production came with the game out of reach, though he now has at least 60 receiving yards in two of his last three contests to go along with two scores. The highlight of his performance Sunday came on a 35-yard catch deep down the right sideline on the first play of the fourth quarter. Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf will almost certainly be the top pass catchers in the Seattle offense moving forward, but Smith-Njigba is showing signs of a breakout with his recent performances.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Week 10 Early Waiver Targets (Add/Drop)
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We haven't seen the true breakout showing yet, but I think Smith-Njigba continues to point in the right direction. He caught six of seven targets for 63 yards Sunday against the Ravens, and while that certainly wasn't a big game by any means, it looks a lot better when you compare it to what the rest of the team did: DK Metcalf had just one catch for 50 yards, while Tyler Lockett turned his team-high eight targets into three catches for 32 yards. Lockett just hasn't quite looked like himself this season, while Metcalf has been even more hit-or-miss than ever, and may not be 100% due to a couple of nagging injuries. The Seahawks need Geno Smith to start playing better to have any chance of living up to expectations, but if he does, Smith-Njigba seems well positioned to take off in the second half of the season. I still want him on my roster.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Week 9 Early Waiver Targets (Add/Drop)
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Smith-Njigba took a step back with DK Metcalf back from his one-game absence, but he kept producing, and that's what we want to see from a younger player. Smith-Njigba is an incredibly talented receiver stuck in a very crowded receiving group, with a QB who has taken a step backward from his impressive 2022 season, which had led to a disappointing start to his career. However, Smith-Njigba is starting to make plays more consistently, with a touchdown in consecutive games, and should continue to see his role increase as the season goes on. Like Dotson, you probably can't be super optimistic about using Smith-Njigba in Week 9, but I want him on my bench if I can make room.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Best day as pro
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Smith-Njigba recorded four catches on five targets for 48 yards in Sunday's 17-13 loss to the Bengals.
Smith-Njigba didn't see an expanded role, as he now has five or six targets in four of five games on the season. However, he did manage an 18-yard reception -- the longest of his career-- to produce his highest yardage output in a game on the campaign. Smith-Njigba will continue to work behind both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in terms of priority in the offense moving forward, but it was encouraging to see him deployed in a slightly more aggressive manner.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Three short catches
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Smith-Njigba caught three of six targets for five yards in Monday's 24-3 win over the Giants.
Smith-Njigba is running routes almost exclusively near or even behind the line of scrimmage, as evidenced by his minuscule aDOT (average Depth of Target) of 1.6 yards. It's disappointing usage for the first-round pick, but it's encouraging that he's still averaging five targets per game. It's worth noting that he suffered a fractured wrist in training camp and likely wasn't 100 percent coming into the season, so the Seahawks' Week 5 bye could help get him more acclimated to the system.
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Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Held to one catch
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Smith-Njigba caught one of three targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 37-27 win over the Panthers.
Smith-Njigba logged 31 of 71 offensive snaps (44 percent), which was his lowest snap share of the season and barely ahead of fellow rookie Jake Bobo (41 percent). Bobo caught just one pass for a five-yard touchdown on two targets. It's certainly a little concerning that Smith-Njigba is essentially tied with an undrafted first-year player for snap share, but it's worth noting that the Seahawks ran the ball 29 times, and Bobo is considered a high-end run blocker. Still, fantasy managers haven't seen enough to trust Smith-Njigba in lineups, and they probably won't feel comfortable as long as DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are dominating the target share.
