Jaxon Smith-Njigba fantasy projection: Is Seahawks' rookie WR worth the risk after preseason wrist injury?

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is one of the most hyped rookie wide receivers in the entire NFL. He's also one of the most intriguing rookies available in fantasy football, regardless of his position.

Smith-Njigba comes with some of the highest upside of any rookie in the 2023 NFL season but also carries significant risk.

During the Seattle Seahawks' second game of the 2023 NFL preseason, Jaxon Smith-Njigba injured his wrist. Head coach Pete Carroll announced after the game that it will require minor surgery, but he's not expected to miss significant time.

While this means that fantasy football managers should proceed with caution when considering drafting JSN, he still has value ahead of the 2023 season.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba's 2023 fantasy outlook

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Injuries are already becoming a major concern for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. In addition to missing basically his entire final season with the Ohio State Buckeyes, he's now injured with the Seattle Seahawks before even playing in a regular season game.

While many fantasy football managers may fade him on draft day because of this, others will capitalize on this and gamble on his massive upside.

Smith-Njigba last played a full season two years ago with the Buckeyes, playing on the same roster as Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Both Olave and Wilson put together spectacular rookie seasons last year. When the three played together in college football, it was Smith-Njigba who emerged as the WR1.

If this translates to the NFL, he will quickly become an elite fantasy football wide receiver.

Both Olave and Wilson finished the 2022 fantasy football season ranked among the top 25 wide receivers. Smith-Njigba is projected to be more talented, while also playing in a more productive offense than his former teammates did during their rookie year.

Geno Smith is a much more productive quarterback right now than Andy Dalton or Zach Wilson.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be in a relatively crowded wide receiver core alongside DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. However, the Seahawks wouldn't have selected him in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft if they didn't have big plans for his usage. He carries an elite upside that increases even further down the road, as long as he can stay healthy.

Is Jaxon Smith-Njigba a good pick in Fantasy Football this year?

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Jaxon Smith-Njigba appears to be in the class of boom-or-bust fantasy football wide receivers for the 2023 NFL season. His elite college football production, while outperforming his wide receiver teammates who have proven NFL success in worse offensive situations, gives him a massively high ceiling for his rookie campaign.

His alarming injury history, as well as his crowded offense, also gives him more risk than most other options.

For fantasy football managers seeking out high upside this season, such as in best ball formats, Smith-Njigba is an excellent choice. He shouldn't be any higher than a WR3 on any fantasy roster due to his risk factors.

Ideally, he fits perfectly at the top of a fantasy bench for managers with the luxury of other wide receivers, allowing them to take a wait-and-see approach with JSN.

Where Jaxon Smith-Njigba sees a significant jump in his overall fantasy value is in Dynasty leagues. He should be targeted in every draft for this format for his breakout potential and the Seahawks' expected plan for their new weapon.

Even if he takes a backseat on the depth chart for the 2023 NFL season, which he may not, or is hindered by his wrist injury, which he may not be, his usage and workload are expected to increase as time goes on. In Dynasty leagues, he can be drafted now at a cheaper price than his value may be down the road.

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If you are looking to acquire JSN or any other assets in your fantasy football leagues, make sure to check out our trade analyzer.

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Where should you draft Jaxon Smith-Njigba this year?

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Jaxon Smith-Njigba currently ranks as the WR38 and 90th overall player in fantasy football drafts, according to his ADP in season-long formats. This means that he's being selected around the eighth or ninth rounds, depending on whether the league features ten or 12 teams leagues.

His current ADP has him ranked in a similar tier to veterans such as Michael Thomas, Brandin Cooks, and Odell Beckham Jr. Smith-Njigba would appear to have a tremendously higher ceiling than the similarly ranked wide receivers. This makes him an intriguing high-upside option in the mid-to-late rounds.

The Seahawks' rookie sees a significant increase in his ADP for Dynasty leagues. He climbs all the way up to WR16 and is the 33rd-ranked player overall. His age and upside have him ranked higher than many veteran staples, such as Davante Adams and Chris Godwin. His value should theoretically continue to climb each year, while the veterans eventually decline.

Managers interested in JSN will have to pay a heavy price in Dynasty formats as he's often being selected in the third or fourth round of start-up drafts. His injury during the 2023 NFL preseason is less detrimental to his draft value in this format because leagues run for multiple years, rather than just one season. Managers drafting for the future would be wise to look his way on draft day.