Jaxon Smith-Njigba is growing up before our eyes. The Seahawks are using him more, and they’re using him more aggressively.
In September and October, he was more of a traditional slot receiver. He caught 37 passes in his first seven games, but at an average of only 8.6 yards per catch. He averaged 5.3 catches for 46 yards in those seven games, with one touchdown. That’s fine.
Smith-Njigba also looked good rather than great as a rookie, catching 63 passes for 628 yards and 4 TDs as a third option behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. He averaged 10 yards per catch in those games.
But then Metcalf missed a couple of games with a knee injury, and that’s when things changed. Since that time, Smith-Njigba has been even busier (averaging a catch more per week), and his work has been more impactful, with more downfield routes. While he’s got below-average speed, he’s averaged 15.6 yards per catch in his last six games, almost double what he was doing in those initial games.
Despite the team’s passing numbers trending downwards, Smith-Njigba in his last six games has averaged 6.3 catches for 86 yards, with 4 TDs. Looking at each team’s last six games, only two wide receivers have been more productive.
| LEADING WIDE RECEIVERS (last 6 games) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | PPR |
| Ja'Marr Chase, Cin. | 54 | 699 | 9 | 177.9 |
| Jerry Jeudy, Cle. | 38 | 678 | 3 | 123.8 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sea. | 38 | 592 | 4 | 121.2 |
| Puka Nacua, LAR | 43 | 567 | 3 | 117.7 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 42 | 569 | 3 | 116.9 |
| Jordan Addison, Min. | 30 | 477 | 6 | 113.7 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 40 | 459 | 4 | 109.9 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det. | 40 | 455 | 4 | 109.5 |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 26 | 442 | 5 | 100.2 |
| Tyreek Hill, Mia. | 35 | 403 | 4 | 99.3 |
| Justin Jefferson, Min. | 34 | 524 | 2 | 98.4 |
| Davante Adams, NYJ | 37 | 423 | 3 | 97.3 |
| Jakobi Meyers, L.V. | 41 | 470 | 1 | 94.0 |
| Zay Flowers, Balt. | 26 | 451 | 3 | 89.1 |
| Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 35 | 417 | 2 | 88.7 |
| Jauan Jennings, S.F. | 32 | 370 | 3 | 87.0 |
| Khalil Shakir, Buff. | 38 | 421 | 1 | 86.1 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, K.C. | 28 | 328 | 4 | 84.8 |
| DJ Moore, Chi. | 35 | 371 | 2 | 84.1 |
| Darnell Mooney, Atl. | 25 | 459 | 2 | 82.9 |
| CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 40 | 360 | 1 | 82.0 |
| Calvin Ridley, Ten. | 28 | 412 | 2 | 81.2 |
| Malik Nabers, NYG | 41 | 392 | 0 | 80.2 |
| Keenan Allen, Chi. | 30 | 310 | 3 | 79.0 |
| Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 28 | 386 | 2 | 78.6 |
Metcalf is more athletic and explosive. But Smith-Njigba looks like he’s here to stay. If we’re playing PPR ball, he might sneak into the top 10 among wide receivers on my board next year.
—Ian Allan