Who Should I Start? Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Rashee Rice


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
19.2 1.7 0.0 6.5 91.8 0.6

Jaxon Smith-Njigba News

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Still Belongs Near the Top of Draft Boards

Sunday, August 23, 11:11 AM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already expensive in redraft, but his summer has done nothing to knock him off the top tier. He led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards last season, catching a franchise-record 119 passes with 10 touchdowns on 163 targets. Seattle did change offensive coordinators, though Brian Fleury has kept plenty of carryover from Klint Kubiak's system, and Smith-Njigba has continued making plays with Sam Darnold. He beat Devon Witherspoon for a long touchdown in camp earlier this month and remains the clear centerpiece of the receiver room. The volume could come down some. Rashid Shaheed is expected to have a bigger offensive role after a full offseason in Seattle, while Cooper Kupp is still involved. Smith-Njigba was doing all of that damage last year in an offense that attempted the fourth-fewest passes in the league, though, so he does not need another 163 targets to stay elite. RotoBaller moved him from WR4 in its July PPR rankings to WR3 in the latest update. At this point, he still belongs near the top of fantasy draft boards.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
13.7 1.8 0.0 5.2 59.2 0.4

Rashee Rice News

Rashee Rice Being Drafted as a WR1 in Fantasy Football Drafts

Friday, August 28, 8:54 PM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice currently has an ADP of 27.4 in the latest fantasy football drafts. That price tag corresponds to an early third-round pick and makes him the 11th receiver off the board. Rice is a talented player catching passes from Patrick Mahomes, so we understand the appeal in snagging him as a WR1. However, he also doesn't have much of a track record yet, as injuries and off-field issues limited him to just 12 games over the last two seasons. On a more positive note, he is averaging 18.0 fantasy points per game during those two years. The big question for fantasy managers is whether Rice, who certainly carries some risk and uncertainty, should continue to be drafted as a WR1 ahead of receivers like Chris Olave and Malik Nabers. The latest expert rankings are a little less bullish than the ADP, as he currently ranks as RotoBaller's WR17 in half-PPR leagues for 2026.


Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. Rashee Rice

Still trying to decide between Smith-Njigba and Rice? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jaxon Smith-Njigba is projected to score 19.2 points this week while Rashee Rice is projected to score 13.7 points.