ESPN gives Seahawks simple offensive plan in ranking NFL's 'best' players

According ESPN's ranking of the league's best players, the Seattle Seahawks should simply have QB Sam Darnold throw often to WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Sam Darnold | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Not that the Seattle Seahawks need too much tinkering. They are 9-3, tied for first in the NFC West and one of the best teams in the NFL.

Nonetheless, ESPN has some simple suggestions: run behind Grey Zabel, and have Sam Darnold throw deep to Rashid Shaheed and often to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Tuh-dah!

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In its annual rankings, ESPN names the NFL's "best" at 109 unique, specific categories. Not, for example, just the league's best quarterback, but more so the best deep thrower, scrambler and pocket poise.

Not surprising, the Seahawks are well represented. What is a little bit of a shocker is that most of their "best" comes on offense, not their dominant defense.

Sam Darnold: Best "Deep-Ball" Thrower

Writes ESPN:
"His 12 completions on passes of 30 or more air yards leads the league, and he has completed 70.6% of those throws. In coordinator Klint Kubiak's offense, Darnold is set up on schemed shot plays to target the third level."

Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Best "Getting Open" and "Hands"

Says ESPN:
"A reliable, high-volume receiver, Smith-Njigba has caught 82 of 112 targets this season. He hasn't had a drop on a single one of those targets."

Rashid Shaheed: Best "Fastest Pass-Catcher"

Writes ESPN: "Shaheed has topped the 21 mph mark twice this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He's a burner who can create explosive plays downfield or after the catch with straight-line speed."

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Other Seahawks on the list are Zabel (best at opening running lanes), defensive tackle Leonard Williams (block disengage), cornerback Devon Witherspoon (most urgency in coverage) and kicker Jason Myers (best kickoff).

Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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