4 Seahawks Featured in Top 10 NFC West Rankings

The Seattle Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champions, so it makes sense for them to have the best roster in the NFC West Division.

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Roger McCreary (25) during the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The 2026 NFL Season proved several things on the field. The first is that the NFC West is still one of the top divisions in the NFL, with three of its four teams making the playoffs.  The second is that the Seattle Seahawks were one of the most dangerously underrated teams in the entire league. Seattle showed why it has the best roster in the league this past season and moving forward.

1. QB Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams)
2. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks)
3. WR Puka Nucua (Los Angeles Rams)
4. OT Trent Williams (San Francisco 49ers)
5. RB Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco  49ers)
6. CB Devon Witherspoon (Seattle Seahawks)
7. LB Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers)
8. QB Sam Darnold (Seattle Seahawks)
9. DE DeMarcus Lawrence (Seattle Seahawks)
10. CB Trent McDuffie (Los Angeles Rams)

Four Seahawks Rightfully in the Top Ten of NFC West

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) carries the ball as. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) defends during the first half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

It  should go without saying that  the league’s MVP in Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, is the top-ranked player in the division. At 38 years old, Stafford is putting up high numbers and is still one of the most dangerous playmakers in the league.

Quickly following Stafford on the top players in the division is Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had a huge breakout year in season three. Not only was JSN explosive, but he was incredibly consistent. He had nine games where he accounted for at least 100 yards and 10 games catching eight or more receptions.

Many analysts and casual fans love Rams’ Puka Nacua because he has big performances in big games. Nucua, however, is overall less consistent than JSN. Even at 1,715 yards last season, he had six games where he accounted for 100 yards or more and eight games with eight receptions or more.

The next two top-ranked players are the first 49ers players, who have been near the top of their game for several years. Christian McCaffrey had a significant rebound season after only playing four games in 2024. He had nearly 1,000 yards as a pass-catcher in a season where the 49ers had serious concerns in their receiver corps. Once again, Trent Williams was among the healthier stars for the 49ers, and the team almost lost him last season. With so much uncertainty around their team structure, the 49ers  couldn't afford to walk Williams walk.

Seahawks Show Why They Have the Best Roster in the League

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates with the trophy on the podium after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

There are a lot of questions about the top defensive player in the NFC West. A serious case has to go to Seahawks star cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who has been to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons. His addition to the Dark Side Defense has shown that he is among the leaders of a dynamic, versatile Seahawks’ defense that loves to move around its star players. Witherspoon can play boundary cornerback or nickel, depending on the schemes.

Quickly following Witherspoon is another defensive star in the 49ers’ Fred Warner. He has been named an All-Pro and a Pro-Bowler in the same four seasons in 2020 and 2022 through 2024. Warner is usually one of the most consistent and productive defenders in the league, but he suffered a season-ending ankle injury that forced him to miss 11 games.

There will be pushback to Sam Darnold being considered a top-ten player in the NFC West or a potential top-ten quarterback in the league. Outside of the league-high turnovers, Darnold was one of the more high-volume passers. He also had a near-perfect performance throughout the postseason with no turnovers. Finally,  Darnold went toe-to-toe with Stafford in the NFC Championship. Regardless of what he was thought of in the past, he is the reigning Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

Darnold was the best offensive addition last offseason for the Seahawks. DeMarcus Lawrence was the best defensive veteran addition. Lawrence had one of his best seasons in the league since the 2022 season, only this time he added a Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl title on top of that. While Lawrence was considering retirement, he had much more in the tank to dominate opposing offenses. He is still one of the top defensive players to watch for this season.

Rounding out the top ten players in the division is a new addition to the NFC West in Rams' cornerback Trent McDuffie. He has been incredibly efficient in his four years with the Kansas City Chiefs, but not as consistent as Witherspoon.

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