It has been quite a run for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. After capturing the AP Offensive Player of the Year award, winning the Super Bowl, and signing the largest contract ever handed to a wide receiver in NFL history, the Seattle pass-catcher has now been ranked the league’s best at his position in a preseason poll conducted by The Associated Press.
Eight AP pro football writers participated in the survey, each ranking their top five wide receivers heading into the 2026 season. Smith-Njigba came out on top, collecting four first-place votes along with three third-place votes and one fourth-place vote. The scoring system awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, followed by 5, 3, 2, and 1 point for second through fifth place, respectively.
Ja’Marr Chase picked up two first-place votes in the balloting, while Justin Jefferson and Puka Nacua each earned one first-place vote.
The 24-year-old Smith-Njigba put together a record-breaking campaign last season, setting Seattle franchise marks with 1,793 receiving yards and 119 receptions. His performance earned him unanimous All-Pro recognition and included nine games with at least 100 yards receiving. He was also a central piece of the Seahawks capturing their second Super Bowl title in team history. His reward off the field was a four-year contract extension worth $168.6 million, averaging $42.15 million per year with more than $120 million guaranteed.
Chase, who was a unanimous All-Pro pick in 2024 and shared the top spot in last year’s version of this survey with Jefferson, finished second in this year’s voting. He tallied 125 catches, 1,412 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns last season after claiming the receiving triple crown the year before. Chase received two first-place votes, three second-place votes, two thirds, and was left off one ballot entirely.
Nacua earned the third spot after being named a unanimous All-Pro selection, leading the entire NFL with 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns. Over his three years in the league, he has averaged 104 catches, 1,397 receiving yards, and six touchdowns per season, giving his quarterback a reliable top target and his team one of the most potent passing attacks in the game. Nacua appeared on seven of the eight ballots and received one first-place vote along with three second-place votes.
Jefferson had a quieter season by his standards, finishing with 84 catches for 1,048 yards and two touchdowns while working with three different quarterbacks for the Vikings. Still, the two-time All-Pro — who has averaged 97 catches, 1,413 yards, and seven touchdowns across six NFL seasons — earned one first-place vote, two second-place votes, and appeared on seven ballots.
Rounding out the top five was St. Brown, who hauled in 117 passes for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Lions last season. A second-team All-Pro after back-to-back first-team selections, St. Brown has now strung together four consecutive seasons with more than 100 receptions and over 1,100 receiving yards. He appeared on seven of the eight ballots.
