Who Should I Start? Cooper Kupp or Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 27.3 | 0.2 |
Cooper Kupp News
Friday, August 21, 8:56 AM
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp is still running with the starters, but the fantasy case keeps getting thinner. He played 16 games last season and caught 47 passes for 593 yards and two touchdowns on 70 targets. Meanwhile, Jaxon Smith-Njigba exploded for 119 catches and 1,793 yards, and Seattle has spent this summer talking about a bigger offensive role for Rashid Shaheed. Kupp has made plays in camp, including a one-handed grab from Sam Darnold, so this isn't about him suddenly looking finished. It's about volume. Seattle attempted only 481 passes last season, fourth-fewest in the NFL, and Kupp was already living on a modest target share before Shaheed's role started growing. RotoBaller has dropped Kupp to 222nd overall in its Aug. 19 PPR rankings. At 33, he can still give Seattle useful snaps and have the occasional fantasy week. There just isn't much pointing toward a return to steady starting value. Kupp looks more like deep bench depth than a receiver fantasy managers should be trying to force into drafts.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.3 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 6.8 | 93.1 | 0.5 |
Jaxon Smith-Njigba News
Tuesday, August 11, 7:52 PM
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was almost unstoppable at training camp last week as the team prepares for the Super Bowl defense in 2026. Smith-Njigba caught multiple touchdown passes from Sam Darnold and received praise from head coach Mike Macdonald, who said, "It was great to see him come alive. Some of those in high-leverage situations, too. There's defensive attention on where he's at all times, too, so for him to be able to make those plays, it's great for the Seahawks, great for him." The reigning AP Offensive Player of the Year is looking to repeat his 2025 performance, when he had 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns. With a new play caller, things could look schematically different in Seattle, but fantasy managers should expect another big year from Smith-Njigba.
Cooper Kupp vs. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Still trying to decide between Kupp and Smith-Njigba? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Cooper Kupp is projected to score 5.9 points this week while Jaxon Smith-Njigba is projected to score 19.3 points.
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