Can you believe it? Jaxon Smith-Njigba has already played three seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, and he is about to begin his fourth in a little over a month from now on September 9.
Last year, JSN went from a good wide receiver to one of the NFL’s best, earning Offensive Player of the Year honors and setting new single-season team records for receptions (119) and receiving yards (1,793). The former Ohio State wideout was recently named a 99 overall player in Madden 27, along with being ranked as the third-best
WR in ESPN’s annaul survey, behind only Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Needless to say, Smith-Njigba will be an exciting player to watch for the Seahawks this coming year.
When starting in all 17 games for Seattle during the regular season, JSN has shown that he is more than capable of being a 1,000 receiver. Before he nearly broke 1,800 yards last year, Smith-Njigba put up 1,130 receiving yards in his sophomore season of 2024, giving the football world a taste of what would come next.
Over his first two full seasons as a starting wide receiver, JSN has averaged 1,462 yards and eight touchdowns on 110 receptions, showcasing his talents as one of the league’s most lethal wideouts. Quite impressive numbers all around, especially given the fact that this was all achieved before his 24th birthday this past February.
For comparison’s sake, Seahawks legend Steve Largent averaged 1,319 yards and nine touchdowns per 17 games from 1978 to 1979, his first two 1,000-yard seasons and the NFL’s first two years with a 16-game regular season schedule. If you would like a more recent example, Tyler Lockett tallied an average of 1,056 yards and nine touchdowns receiving from 2019 to 2020, which were his first two 1,000-yard campaigns and his first two seasons starting in all 16 games. When measured across a 17-game season, Lockett was averaging 1,121 yards and 10 touchdowns through the air during this time.
Based on the data I have mentioned here, I am predicting that Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s final receiving totals for 2026 will consist of 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns on 108 receptions. Not quite the otherworldly levels of 2025, but then again, it’s hard to capture lightning in a bottle twice. That being said, JSN will certainly still be one of the league’s top receivers this coming year, among the likes of the aforementioned Jefferson and Chase and the Rams’ Puka Nacua.
Seattle’s receiving corps will greatly benefit from another productive year from Smith-Njigba in his age-24 season, and if he can play in all 17 games again this year, there is little doubt that he will be able to eclipse 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season. JSN is already in a class of his own, becoming just the second player in Seahawks history to win Offensive Player of the Year (despite what his trophy will tell you), and he is sure to take the next step towards bolstering his status as a franchise legend in 2026.
How do you think JSN will do this season? How many receiving yards will he finish with? How many receptions and touchdowns? Tell us in the comments!
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