2025 Dynasty Riser: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (JSN) was the first wide receiver selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, taken 20th overall by the Seattle Seahawks. Remarkably, he was a first-round pick after enduring an injury-plagued junior season at Ohio State. The injury began on opening day against Notre Dame, where he hurt his hamstring. Later in the season, he attempted to return but continued to re-injure it. Unfortunately, this caused him only to play three games, missing the entire college football playoffs. Despite this, his draft stock remained high due to his electric sophomore season, where he recorded 95 catches, 1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns, averaging just over 123 yards per game.
Fast forward to his rookie season, he joined a crowded receiver room featuring DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, initially positioning him as the WR3. He had a slow start to the season due to limited snap shares and opportunities. In 2023, he averaged being on the field for only 30 passing plays, compared to nearly 40 per game in 2024 (per PFF). However, I expect this number to climb even higher as Seattle traded DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers and released Tyler Lockett. This move leaves JSN as the sole WR1 in Seattle.
You might wonder about his outlook in dynasty leagues with the quarterback change from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold. According to PFF, the two quarterbacks are very similar. On deep completion passes of 20+ yards (minimum of 30 passing attempts), both QBs have a PFF grade above 90. Their big-time throws (BTT) from this distance are even, tied for QB3, and their BTT% are both right in the middle of the pack.
That said, we saw a breakout performance last year with JSN catching 100 passes for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns. I have no concerns about him primarily being a slot receiver, as he led the league in snaps at 83.9% from the slot position. We’ve seen the #1 WR on teams play many snaps from the slot, including CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill, and Keenan Allen. The addition of Cooper Kupp, who is considered a slot receiver, also can play out wide. Last season for the Rams, he played 36.6% of the time split out on the far side of the field.
Ranked WR14 by Dynasty League Football in 1QB formats (WR11 in Superflex), Jaxon Smith-Njigba still feels slightly undervalued, given his production. After finishing WR9 in fantasy scoring last year with a 22.4% target share, that number should only climb as he fully steps into the WR1 role in Seattle’s offense. At just 23 years old and entering his prime, JSN combines proven production with a clear path to greater volume and opportunity.
It’s a prime opening for managers to buy in before his value spikes. JSN isn’t just a breakout candidate; he is a prime WR1 in the making. If you want a cornerstone receiver with years of growth, now is the time to act. Don’t wait for the hype to build—get ahead of the curve and secure JSN before he’s firmly established as a top fantasy asset for 2025 and beyond.