Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is set to play Thursday night against the Denver Broncos, despite dealing with an ankle issue earlier in the week.
Smith-Njigba was limited when the Seahawks opened practice, and he was listed as limited again Tuesday, but he does not carry an injury designation for the Week 6 matchup. The short week likely played a role in the team holding his reps down, especially after he absorbed several big hits in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
That’s good news for Seattle, because Smith-Njigba has become the engine of the offense. He enters the game with 37 catches for 583 yards and seven touchdowns in just five games. He has topped 100 receiving yards in four of those five outings, and he’s done it regardless of who has lined up at quarterback for the Seahawks.
The matchup also looks appealing on paper. Seattle is favored on the road, while Denver has already ruled out star cornerback Pat Surtain II and star safety Talanoa Hufanga. If Riley Moss, who is questionable, also sits, Smith-Njigba could spend the night working against backup corners.
That’s why he stands out as one of the top prop targets in Week 6. Through the first five weeks of the 2026 season, Smith-Njigba has been targeted 50 times by Seattle quarterbacks and has hauled in 37 of them for 583 yards and seven scores. He remains the clear focal point of the passing game, and Sam Darnold has leaned on him all season long.
The Broncos rank fifth in the NFL in EPA/Pass, but Smith-Njigba’s usage has been steady enough that the numbers haven’t changed the picture. He is averaging more than seven catches and 100 yards per game in 2026, and with Denver shorthanded in the secondary, his target share should stay heavy Thursday night.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Need A Spark From An Unsettling Backfield Situation
The Seahawks kept churning the bottom of the roster this week, signing running back Velus Jones Jr. off the practice squad and letting wide receiver Irv Charles go before bringing him back. It was the latest in a string of recent activations and releases involving the same players, a reminder of how fluid Seattles roster has become as it tries to navigate the back end of the season.
Jones has mostly made his mark on special teams this year, but the move also hints at a bigger role on offense if the team continues to be thin at running back. For a Seattle group looking for a spark, the backfield is suddenly one of the more unsettled spots on the roster, and the next few days could determine how much opportunity Jones gets to prove he can do more than cover kicks. [Read more 🡒]
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Brings Seahawks One Big Question Into Broncos Game
Jaxon Smith-Njigba gave the Seahawks a timely lift Wednesday by turning in a full practice session after being limited earlier in the week with an ankle injury. On a short week, that kind of update matters, especially with Seattle heading into Thursday Night Football against the Broncos and trying to keep its passing game on track.
Still, the abbreviated schedule leaves one real question hanging over the matchup. Full participation is a positive sign, but it does not automatically mean Smith-Njigba is fully over the ankle issue, so the Seahawks will be watching closely right up until kickoff to see how he responds. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Still Have One Big Excuse To Silence Against Denver
Seattle heads into Week 6 with a chance to lean on the injury report as much as the matchup itself, since both sides are dealing with notable absences in the back seven and the Seahawks have a key offensive piece trending toward playing. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is expected to suit up despite an ankle issue, while Seattle will be down running backs Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, plus linebackers Chazz Surratt and Drake Thomas, with Leonard Williams also trying to manage an ankle injury.
Denver, meanwhile, looks far more vulnerable in coverage than usual without cornerback Patrick Surtain II and safety Talanoa Hufanga, and Riley Moss is questionable entering the game. For a Seahawks team still trying to find its footing, that creates a clean path to make life difficult on the Broncos and leave little room for excuses if the offense cannot take advantage of the opening. [Read more 🡒]