Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba passes Puka Nacua in major NFL race

There's no denying it anymore, Seatttle Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba is among the NFL's very best wide receivers.

The 23-year-old began his rise to stardom in the second half of last season, when he strung together eight-straight games with 70+ yards from Weeks 9-16 and scoring five touchdowns in that span. He was so good that the Seahawks decided to move on from DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to make Smith-Njigba their new No. 1 wideout, and he has rewarded their faith in spades.

Through six games, Smith-Njigba now has 42 receptions for 696 yards and three touchdowns, and is the focal point of not just the passing game, but the entire offense. He has recorded 75+ receiving yards in each game, and just had his best performance of the season on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, catching eight passes for 162 yards and a touchdown in a 20-12 road victory.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) hauls in a reception for a touchdown score against Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Greg Newsome II (6) during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Following that performance, Smith-Njigba is now the NFL's leading receiver as of Sunday night (and almost certainly through the end of Week 6 as well). He entered Sunday's slate of games with 54 fewer yards than Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua, but Nacua had just two receptions for 28 yards in a 17-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

With the way things are shaping up, Smith-Njigba might hold the title for a while to come.

Nacua suffered an injury against the Ravens and is reportedly questionable for next week's game against the Jaguars in London. Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson - who entered the day with the third-most receiving yards at 449, 85 behind Smith-Njigba - is on a bye week. Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Emeka Egbuka, who entered Sunday with 445 yards, had just two receptions for 24 yards against the San Francisco 49ers before leaving with a hamstring injury.

If Smith-Njigba continues to perform at the level he has, he could run away with the receving race in the coming weeks. That could very well put him in the running for Offensive Player of the Year, even though just one receiver has won it in the past five years, ironically being Seahawks wideout Cooper Kupp back in 2021 with the Rams.

Before they get ahead of themselves, though, the Seahawks have to be pleased that the connection between new quarterback Sam Darnold and Smith-Njigba has worked out so phenomenally thus far.

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