Is Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Tyler Lockett the WR2 for the Seahawks?

June 24, 2024

Who will be the WR2 for the Seattle Seahawks in 2024? Lance Fernandez takes a look at the credentials of Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba to see who is likely DK Metcalf's top backup.

Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema ranked the Seattle Seahawks receiving unit tenth-best heading into the 2024 NFL season. They had the fifth-highest receiving grade as a group, with DK Metcalf receiving 82.3, Tyler Lockett at 77.6, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 63.9.

Those numbers make it evident that Metcalf led the way for Seattle. Despite his first in-game absence in five NFL seasons, Metcalf still finished with 66 receptions, 1,114 receiving yards, and a career-high 16.9 yards per catch.

With Metcalf as the Seahawks' WR1, who among Lockett and Smith-Njigba will be second in command once the season unfolds? Either way, maximizing these talents will help Seattle make a postseason return.

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Tyler Lockett's Performance Has Slightly Declined

Lockett finished with 894 yards and five touchdowns last season. While those are solid numbers, it's slightly lower than his 1,033 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022. Lockett had his career-high 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021.

Does this trend indicate that Lockett's value is going down? It's also concerning that, as Pro Football Reference pointed out, Lockett had a career-low in yards after the catch (2.7) per reception. The veteran also dropped five passes last season, the second-worst rate in his career.

Tyler Lockett is an Iron Man. He's missed 1 game in his 9 year career. pic.twitter.com/qiz6xK8Bwm

— Matt Roth (@KingsofCardio) June 22, 2024

While he's still a solid wideout, his production could decrease as his career continues. However, his durability makes him an intriguing fantasy football asset; he's only missed three regular-season games in nine years.

Will Jaxon Smith-Njigba Embrace a Bigger Role in the Seahawks Offense?

Injuries have derailed Smith-Njigba's 2022 and 2023 campaigns. A hamstring injury limited him to three games during his final season at Ohio State. The same condition hampered his preparation during his first offseason with the Seahawks.

Meanwhile, a fractured wrist incurred during training camp limited his participation until before the regular season started. Despite missing much time getting ready for the NFL, Smith-Njigba played in all 17 games, tallying 63 catches for 628 yards and four touchdowns. The former Buckeye registered a higher catch percentage (67.7) than Lockett (64.8).

Who else believes that #Seahawks Jaxon Smith-Njigba will have a breakout season?

Coach Mike Macdonald said that Smith-Njigba will be a "massive piece" of the offense this season:

"He is a guy that can focus on our offense around, along with other guys. Tyler Lockett is still a… pic.twitter.com/GucNYjxP7Y

— HawkMania (@hawkmania4) June 16, 2024

Those unfortunate experiences during his rookie season should lead to an improvement in 2024. That's why the Seahawks expect bigger things from him, especially when he's healthy. Having the whole experience of the mandatory minicamp and training camp will also help him learn Ryan Grubb's offense faster.

Who Among Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett is the Seahawks' WR2?

As RotoBaller's 2024 fantasy football rankings and projections suggest, it's a close call between Smith-Njigba and Lockett as WR2. In PPR formats, Smith-Njigba is WR43 and 103^rd overall, while Lockett is WR48 and 114^th overall.

Their projected numbers are also a toss-up, with Smith-Njigba slated to finish with 75 receptions for 830 yards and five touchdowns. Conversely, Lockett is projected to have 71 catches for 840 and six touchdowns.

Though the discrepancy between their predicted numbers is negligible, Smith-Njigba offers more upside than Lockett, making him the rightful WR2.

That declaration isn't a knock against Lockett's game. While he remains productive, his declining numbers are concerning. Therefore, consider Lockett a high-end WR3 and Smith-Njigba a promising WR2 when building your fantasy football roster.

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