Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba voted NFL’s top wide receiver by AP

The Seahawks star is coming off a Super Bowl title and one of the greatest receiving seasons in NFL history.

BY ROB MAADDI, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jul 15, 2026, 1:30 PM

Seattle Seahawks Jaxon Smith-Njigba Falcons 2026...

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 07: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks runs with the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 07, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award and the Super Bowl last season before the Seattle Seahawks gave him the biggest contract for a wide receiver in NFL history.

No surprise, he was voted the NFL’s top wideout by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

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Smith-Njigba received four first-place votes, three thirds and a fourth from a panel of eight AP pro football writers, who ranked the top five receivers entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Ja’Marr Chase got two firsts and Justin Jefferson and Puka Nacua each received one.

1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

The 24-year-old set team records for receiving yards (1,793) and receptions (119) last season and finished with the eighth-most receiving yards in a season in NFL history. He received a four-year, $168.6 million extension that averages $42.15 million annually and includes over $120 million in guaranteed money.

Smith-Njigba, a unanimous All-Pro selection, had nine 100-yard receiving games during the regular season and was a key to Seattle winning its second Super Bowl in franchise history.

2. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Chase, a unanimous All-Pro selection in 2024, tied Justin Jefferson for first place in voting last year in this survey.

He had 125 receptions, 1,412 yards receiving and eight touchdowns last season after earning the receiving triple crown in 2024.

Chase got two first-place votes, three seconds, two thirds and was left off one ballot.

3. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Nacua was a unanimous All-Pro selection after leading the NFL with 129 catches for 1,715 yards and 10 TDs.

Nacua has averaged 104 catches, 1,397 yards receiving and six TDs over his three seasons in the NFL, giving Matthew Stafford a top target and the Rams an elite passing attack.

He got one first-place vote, three seconds and appeared on seven ballots.

4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

In a down season, Jefferson had 84 catches for 1,048 yards and two TDs while catching passes from three different Vikings quarterbacks.

The two-time All-Pro has averaged 97 catches, 1,413 yards and seven TDs over his six seasons in the NFL.

Jefferson still received one first-place vote, two seconds and appeared on seven ballots.

5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

St. Brown was a second-team All-Pro after earning first-team honors the previous two seasons.

He had 117 receptions, 1,401 yards receiving and 11 TDs last season for the Lions. St. Brown has four straight seasons of more than 100 receptions and more than 1,100 yards receiving.

He appeared on seven of the eight ballots.