Third-year receiver off to dominant start with heavy workload
SEATTLE (AP) — Jaxon Smith-Njigba isn’t just catching passes to open the 2025 NFL season. He’s redefining Seattle’s offense around himself.
Through three weeks, the Seahawks’ third-year receiver has piled up 22 receptions for 323 yards and a touchdown, averaging more than 100 yards a game. Those aren’t just strong numbers — they’re proof of how fully Seattle has built its passing game around him.
From Week 1, Smith-Njigba emerged as the clear No. 1 target. He went for 124 yards on nine receptions in the opener, followed it with 103 yards on eight catches in Week 2, and battled through illness in Week 3 to post 96 yards and his first touchdown of the year. Nearly one in three of Seattle’s targets has gone his way, and he leads the team in route participation, snap share and air-yard share.
This isn’t empty volume. He’s lining up everywhere — outside, in the slot, in motion — and winning in every role. Tracking data shows he’s commanding more than half of Seattle’s total air yards, an extraordinary workload for a player who entered the league just two seasons ago.
Clear lead role
Seattle’s wide receiver room looks very different than it did two years ago. DK Metcalf departed in free agency, Tyler Lockett is gone, and the team released veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling before the season began. That leaves Smith-Njigba as the unquestioned lead option, with Cooper Kupp serving as a steady complement and rookie Tory Horton flashing early.
That consolidation has made the offense more straightforward: get the ball to Jaxon. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has dialed up route combinations to free him from brackets, used motion to line him up against favorable matchups, and schemed plays that force defenses to account for him first.
Defenses know what’s coming and still can’t stop it. Against Pittsburgh’s physical secondary in Week 2, Smith-Njigba fought through press coverage and still cleared 100 yards. Against New Orleans in Week 3, slowed by a virus, he took advantage of single coverage and scored. His route precision, timing and ability to separate make him a problem on every down.
The weight of usage
Seattle’s reliance on Smith-Njigba comes with risk. Heavy target loads can expose receivers to extra hits and defensive adjustments. Opponents are already rolling safety help in his direction, trying to disrupt timing with press coverage, or bracketing him over the middle.
So far, the Seahawks have countered effectively. Quarterback Sam Darnold has shown growing trust in him, looking his way early in series and on critical downs. Seattle is still sprinkling in contributions from Kupp and Horton, while Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet provide balance in the run game. But there’s no mistaking who the offense flows through.
The bigger challenge will come as the season wears on. Can Seattle keep Smith-Njigba both healthy and productive under that kind of strain? Can the supporting cast do enough to keep defenses honest?
Early league impact
Smith-Njigba’s output puts him near the top of the NFL in receiving yards through three weeks. He’s not just producing against soft zones or favorable coverages — he’s beating top corners, winning on third down, and creating explosive plays.
What separates him from many emerging receivers is efficiency. He’s converting a high rate of his targets, averaging nearly 15 yards per reception, and showing he can thrive against a variety of coverages.
For Seattle, that reliability is everything. The Seahawks have struggled with offensive identity since the prime Russell Wilson years. Now, with Smith-Njigba as the focal point, they have a clear blueprint: feature an elite route runner who can carry the passing game.
More than a hot start
Some players flash in September and fade. Smith-Njigba doesn’t fit that mold. His rookie year was steady, his second season broke records with 100 receptions, and now his third is starting at a pace that suggests true superstardom.
Seattle has no illusions about what it’s asking of him. With the depth chart trimmed, veterans gone, and the scheme tilted his way, Smith-Njigba is the franchise’s offensive centerpiece. Every week he proves he can handle it, the Seahawks grow bolder about leaning on him even more.
If he keeps producing at this level, he won’t just be Seattle’s top weapon. He’ll be one of the NFL’s defining receivers in 2025 — the kind defenses plan entire game weeks around, and the kind offenses are built to showcase.
Seattle asked Smith-Njigba to carry its passing game. Three weeks in, he’s not just carrying it — he’s thriving under the weight.
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