Jaxon Smith-Njigba was one of the most hyped rookie receivers in last year’s draft. While his rookie season was solid, he didn’t put up huge numbers. Part of this was due to some struggles of the offense and Geno Smith, but some of it was due to the depth chart. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are great veteran receivers and took a lot of the target share. Still, Smith-Njigba had a solid year, and hopefully, he can build on that for this season.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba 2023 Stats And Fantasy Production
Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 63 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns. More importantly, he played in all 17 games for the Seattle Seahawks. Many believe the reason for his low production was how he was being used. He played 68% of his snaps in the slot but showed huge potential when he was put on the outside. According to FantasyPros, when he lined up on the outside, he was ranked 15th in yards per route run.
This is a stark contrast to his numbers across the whole season. His 1.32 yards per route ranked 57th out of 80 qualifying receivers. Amongst rookies, he was 11th. However, no one is calling him a first-round bust by any means. Analysts believe if he is used correctly, he can be a dominant receiver.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba 2024 Fantasy Outlook
The Seattle Seahawks have a new coaching staff in HC Mike Macdonald and OC Ryan Grubb. This is likely good news for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, even though the top six receivers from last year are returning. Seattle is Grubb’s first NFL coaching job, but he has experience at the college level. Last season, he was the OC for the Washington Huskies, which had one of the most dominant offenses in the nation. Furthermore, his offenses ranked in the top five in pass attempts the past two years.
There will likely be more volume to go around in the offense. Macdonald will be focusing on the defense, leaving Grubb to get the offense going. If Geno Smith can have a bounceback year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba could approach 1,000 yards this season.
Final Thoughts
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is ranked in the upper 30s or low 40s for wide receivers. Based on the number of unknowns, this feels right. However, the young receiver would be one to target in the middle rounds of fantasy football drafts. There is potential that Smith-Njigba will have a much better year. If the Seattle offense is completely transformed, he could easily outperform his ADP.
Every player you draft isn’t going to have a career year. The successful fantasy managers know what players to take flyers on and what players to leave on the board. Taking a chance on a year-two leap from the Seattle wide receiver is a solid bet and he even might be worth a reach in certain drafts.
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