Despite a record-breaking Triple Crown season and Super Bowl ring, NFL evaluators ranked Seattle’s star playmaker behind his peers, sparking a heated debate over production versus potential.
Leading the NFL in receiving yards, winning Offensive Player of the Year and helping the Seattle Seahawks capture a Super Bowl apparently isn't enough for Jaxon Smith-Njigba to be considered the best wide receiver in football.
Despite the third-year wideout's breakout 2025 campaign — which saw Smith-Njigba secure the highest percentage of his team's receiving yards (44%) since 2012 — Seattle's most dangerous weapon isn't viewed atop his position.
In ESPN's Jeremy Fowler's annual list, which ranks the 10 best players at each position based on votes by coaches, executives and scouts, Smith-Njigba was rated the third-greatest receiver for 2026.
Ahead of Smith-Njigba were Ja'Marr Chase and ... Justin Jefferson? More on the latter later.
"He reminds me so much of Cooper Kupp's tremendous performance in 2021, only JSN is better on the outside than him," an anonymous coordinator told Fowler. "Love his game. Relentless. Smooth. Competitor. He's not the elite outside player those top guys are."
For those who remember, Kupp achieved the rare receiving "Triple Crown" by leading the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16) en route to an Offensive Player of the Year nod and a Super Bowl LVI MVP honor.
Being compared to what may be the greatest individual receiving season in NFL history is certainly a complement — which makes it all the more confusing that Smith-Njigba was left out of one of the top two slots.
Part of the justification that Fowler offered for Smith-Njigba's placement was a lack of "fear" that he inflicts in his opponents ... which is certainly a strange way to diminish such a dominant season.
The voters struggled to find ways to criticize his production, so they ranked him based off of feelings?
Very strange ...
But let's break down these comparisons.
The Chase placement is understandable. He's already off to a historic start to his career and should have his franchise quarterback, Joe Burrow, back in action next year. If you say that the Bengals star is the best in the business, that's not a far-fetched take.
Jefferson, on the other hand, is a little different.
While he absolutely was limited by the Vikings' quarterback carousel that featured JJ McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer, does that entirely excuse the production?
We've witnessed Jefferson produce at a high level with Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens before. Up until this past season, he's been virtually QB-proof.
Not to mention, these rankings are based on the 2026 campaign.
Last I checked, McCarthy is still a contender to be Minnesota's signal caller this season, and if it's not him, then it's Kyler Murray.
Do those two names inspire enough hope that Jefferson can return to form to justify placing him ahead of Smith-Njigba?
It certainly doesn't to us, and it likely wouldn't to the fans, but apparently it does to executives, coaches and scouts.
Until next offseason, Smith-Njigba will have to settle for being the best receiver in football to not be named the best receiver in football.
