Jaxon Smith-Njigba has quietly become one of the NFL’s most dependable weapons when the Seahawks need a play the most.
As 2026 approaches, the third- and fourth-down numbers tell the story. Smith-Njigba has piled up 712 receiving yards in those situations since 2024, the fifth-most in the league, according to NFL.com’s Anthony Holzman-Escareno.
The names ahead of him are a strong list: Denver Broncos star Courtland Sutton leads the group with 973, followed by Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown at 833, Dallas Cowboys star George Pickens at 765 and Former New York Giants star Wan’Dale Robinson, now with the Tennessee Titans, at 719.
What makes Smith-Njigba’s production stand out is how often it has moved the chains. Last season, he caught 26 passes for 374 receiving yards on third and fourth down, and 19 of those grabs went for first downs. In 2024, he was just as effective in those pressure snaps, posting 26 receptions for 338 REC yards, with 22 of them resulting in first downs.
That kind of production fits the profile of a receiver who can win at every level. JSN has shown he can get open on short, intermediate and deep routes, and he’s done it with the offense needing answers.
After a 1,000-yard season in 2024 and a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards last season, the reigning AP Offensive Player of the Year enters 2026 with a high bar in front of him. But if he keeps producing when drives are on the line, he gives quarterback Sam Darnold exactly the kind of target a team wants carrying that form into the next season.
In Other News...
Vikings Backfield Is Being Overlooked For One Important Reason
The early run at ranking NFC backfields has plenty of attention on the shiny rookie names, but Seattles side of the conversation starts with a familiar veteran in Aaron Jones and a new partner in Jordan Mason. With the 2026 season approaching, the Vikings tandem deserves a closer look because it is being framed less like a headline act and more like a group that fits together neatly, even if it has not drawn the same buzz as some of the conferences splashier backfields.
For Seahawks readers, the interesting part is how this stacks up against the rest of the NFCs running back landscape, where rookies Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love are drawing praise for their upside and Jacory Croskey-Merritt is coming off a promising first pro season in Washington. Seattle now has Price in a new lead role, while Minnesota is banking on a balance of proven production and complementary skill sets, which is exactly the kind of combination that can be easy to overlook until the season starts sorting out the real contenders. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Fans Just Got Another Reminder This Ownership Change Is Real
At the NFL owners' meeting, the sale of the Seahawks from the Paul Allen Trust to the Khosla family for $9.6 billion was officially approved, putting another formal stamp on a deal that has already been public since July. It was the expected next step in a layered process, but it still matters, because every piece of league approval moves the franchise a little closer to a new era under a family that already has ties to NFL ownership through its minority stake in the 49ers.
For Seattle fans, the bigger takeaway is that this is no longer a far-off rumor or a theoretical business headline. The transaction still has steps to clear before it is fully complete, but the leagues approval makes the change feel increasingly real. Now the focus shifts to what the final stages of that transfer will look like and how this new ownership structure will shape the team once the papers are signed. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Enter Seattle With Major Roster Decisions Still Unsettled
The final week of the preseason has given Kansas City a very different kind of urgency, with the Chiefs still searching for answers while sorting through a 0-2 start in exhibition play. Patrick Mahomes remains out as he recovers from knee surgery, which has only sharpened the focus on the rest of the roster picture as the 53-man deadline approaches. For Seattle, the matchup offers one more look at a Kansas City team still trying to settle its depth chart before the games count.
The biggest decisions are still spread across the roster, with the Chiefs continuing to evaluate wide receiver, offensive line and secondary depth ahead of their final preseason game against the Seahawks. Kenneth Walker III has already carved out the lead role at running back, but plenty of other players are still fighting to make the cut in what amounts to one last audition. For a Seattle team getting Kansas City in this setting, the stage is as much about who survives the roster crunch as it is about the score. [Read more 🡒]