Overview
- The Associated Press panel of eight pro writers voted Smith‑Njigba the NFL’s top wide receiver in a preseason survey released Wednesday, with him receiving four first‑place votes and finishing ahead of Ja’Marr Chase and Puka Nacua.
- Smith‑Njigba posted 1,793 receiving yards and 119 catches in 2025, won AP Offensive Player of the Year, helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl, and signed a four‑year, $168.6 million extension that includes more than $120 million guaranteed.
- ESPN’s survey of scouts, executives and coaches, reported July 15–16, ranked him third behind Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, reflecting a sizeable group of voters who praised his skill but placed him below players they say create tougher schematic problems.
- Critics in the ESPN vote and quoted evaluators compared his profile to Cooper Kupp and said opposing coaches do not always ‘fear’ him the way they do other elite receivers, citing concerns about his size, usage and whether he forces major defensive game‑plan shifts.
- The split in preseason views frames the coming season: Smith‑Njigba must replicate elite production under a new offensive coordinator and without Kenneth Walker III to prove his market‑leading contract and 2025 stats reflect lasting, not one‑year, dominance.