Who Should I Start? Tyler Lockett or Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Friday, November 22, 7:14 PM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett has been a low-end flex option throughout most of the season. He checks in as such in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals, but it comes with a lot of risk. Lockett's usage out of the Seahawks' Week 10 bye was puzzling and could be prescriptive for the rest of the season. Lockett was clearly operating as the Seahawks' No. 3 wide receiver in Week 11 against the San Francisco 49ers. In his last three games played, Lockett has only averaged 3.3 targets per game after averaging 6.6 targets per game over his first seven games. The emergence of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba as a preferred target for quarterback Geno Smith is eating significantly into Lockett's volume. With the Seahawks switching to a less pass-heavy attack after the bye week, there may not be enough targets to go around for the Seahawks' top three wide receivers. With six teams on a bye this week, Lockett is still a risky flex play.

Friday, November 22, 7:17 PM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is in a great position to continue his ascending breakout in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals. This may come as a surprise, but Smith-Njigba is actually the PPR WR10 in fantasy and he has already had his bye. Smith-Njigba has been relatively inconsistent this season, however, his last month of football has been pretty strong. The Cardinals' defense is much improved in 2024 but still imperfect. They are No. 17 against opposing wide receivers in fantasy. With fellow wide receiver DK Metcalf likely to be healthier in Week 12 than he was in his return in Week 11, Smith-Njigba could take a hit in targets. Even so, he has clearly earned the trust of quarterback Geno Smith. Most importantly, Smith has been looking Smith-Njigba's way far more than wide receiver Tyler Lockett on important downs which was not the case early in the season. This should be a high-scoring game with plenty of opportunities, and Smith-Njigba should absolutely be in your lineup.