Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s rise just keeps rolling.
After a 2025 season that saw him lead the league with 1,793 receiving yards and win NFL Offensive Player of the Year, the Seattle Seahawks wideout has now landed among the final 10 players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list. It’s his first appearance on the ranking, and based on the season he just put together, it hardly feels like his last.
Smith-Njigba joins linebacker Ernest Jones IV at No. 97 and quarterback Sam Darnold at No. 21 as the only Seahawks to show up on the list. The final run of the countdown begins August 24, with one player revealed each weekday.
For Seattle, the bigger story may be the names that never got called.
The Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl champions, yet they have only three players on the list. That stands out even more when you look at division rival Los Angeles, the team Seattle beat 31-27 in the NFC Championship last season, which has the same number of players in the top 10 alone. Albeit, defensive end Myles Garrett hasn’t played a snap for the franchise yet.
One of the most surprising omissions is Devon Witherspoon, who narrowly missed the cut at No. 107.
The Pro Bowl cornerback, now the highest paid player at his position, finished behind Jalen Ramsey at No. 82, Jaycee Horn at No. 76 and Cooper DeJean at No.
Even so, the toughest Seattle snub might be Leonard Williams. The defensive lineman was a major part of one of the most dominant defenses of the modern era, and he backed that up again in 2025 under Mike Macdonald. Williams finished with seven sacks and 58 pressures while staying elite against the run, but he didn’t earn a mention at all.
Instead, Derrick Brown at No. 90, Zach Allen at No. 73 and Jalen Carter at No. 29 all climbed through the ranking.
Smith-Njigba, Darnold and Jones got their recognition. But several other Seahawks, including Byron Murphy II and Nick Emmanwori, did not.
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The Seahawks now have to sort through other wideouts to fill that WR5 role while Bobo begins his recovery. For a roster that had already penciled him into a specific spot, it is an unexpected hit to receiver depth and a reminder that the back end of the depth chart can become a real issue in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Entering A New Offensive Era With One Big Reason For Hope
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For Zabel, the confidence seems to start with the way Fleury is being received inside the building, where a fresh system can either settle quickly or take longer to click. Seattle has every reason to want a smooth transition, because the bar was already raised by the success that came before, and the first signs of buy-in from a veteran voice like Zabel suggest the Seahawks may not be starting from scratch after all. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Face A Jake Bobo Problem They Didnt Expect
Jake Bobos re-signed status made him one of the quieter but more useful parts of the Seahawks receiver room, the kind of player coaches appreciate even when he is not grabbing headlines. He brought value beyond the box score, with a reputation for steady special teams work and a locker room presence that fit well in Seattle as training camp moved along.
Now the Seahawks are dealing with a much different reality after head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed Bobo suffered a serious knee injury that could linger well beyond this season. It creates an unexpected opening in camp and the preseason, with other receivers suddenly getting a clearer path to make their case while Seattle waits to see how long Bobos absence lasts. [Read more 🡒]