Jaxon Smith-Njigba Can Be NFL's Best WR

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off a season in which he had more yards than anyone at his position.

Smith-Njigba helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl, building a season that makes him arguably the best wide receiver in the league. However, Pro Football Sports Network placed JSN at No. 3 on their wide receiver rankings behind Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 9 overall) and Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams (No. 5 overall).

"The way that Jaxon Smith-Njigba has progressed each year should have Seahawks fans incredibly excited about what's left to come in his young NFL career. He was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards and placing third with 119 receptions. His 93.7 PFN WR Impact Score ranks ninth among all wide receiver seasons since 1999," PFSN contributor Jacob Infante wrote.

"Year over year, Smith-Njigba has improved in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and yards per catch since entering the league in 2023. Still just 24 years old, he's proven that he's an elite separator with tremendous ball skills, great hands, and the spatial awareness needed to work his way open against any coverage looks in the book."

What JSN Needs to Do to Become NFL's Top Wide Receiver

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba speaks to the media after minicamp practice. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Smith-Njigba has had an upward trajectory in the league, but 2025 was the first year he could be considered an elite receiver. He was always playing behind strong wideouts in the team's depth chart, but 2025 marked his first opportunity to be the team's leading receiver.

Year	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
2023	63	628	4
2024	100	1,130	6
2025	119	1,793	10

One thing Nacua and Chase have is continuity in the upper echelon of wide receivers in the league. They have proven over time that their strong seasons weren't just a fluke.

Over the past three years, Chase has recorded over 1,200 receiving yards in each season and has 32 touchdowns, proving to be one of the best wide receivers of the generation.

Nacua was in the same draft class as Smith-Njigba, so they are slightly easier to compare. Nacua came out of the gates strong with 1,486 receiving yards in his rookie year, logging over 800 yards more than Smith-Njigba. He was limited to 990 yards in 2024, but he only played in 11 games compared to a full year from JSN.

That being said, Smith-Njigba is in a great position to take over as the top wide receiver in the league. He showed what he can do last year, but he is still only 24 years old, so the sky is truly the limit for what he can do.

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