The Seattle Seahawks return the NFL’s reigning Offensive Player of the Year and their five leading wide receivers from last season.
Bleacher Report still sees a problem behind the star at the top of the depth chart.
B/R’s Kristopher Knox named wide receiver depth Seattle’s biggest weakness entering the 2026 preseason, pointing to the steep production drop after Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Smith-Njigba carried the passing game with 119 receptions for a franchise-record 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns.
No other Seattle wide receiver reached 600 yards, leaving the Seahawks with the trickiness of unconvincing depth at a very important offensive position.
Production Fell Sharply Behind Smith-Njigba
GettyRENTON, WASHINGTON – JUNE 04: Cooper Kupp #10 and Jake Bobo #19 of the Seattle Seahawks work out during practice at Virginia Mason Athletic Center on June 04, 2026 in Renton, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Smith-Njigba accounted for 44.1% of Seattle’s receiving yards last season. His 1,793 yards also exceeded the combined total of the Seahawks’ next three wide receivers.
Cooper Kupp finished second among Seattle’s wideouts with 593 receiving yards and was the only other receiver on the team to surpass 200.
Tight end AJ Barner ranked third on the team with 519 yards, so Seattle’s second-most productive pass catcher behind Smith-Njigba did not come from the wide receiver room.
Rashid Shaheed recorded 188 receiving yards after arriving in a midseason trade, while Tory Horton finished with 161 before a shin injury ended his rookie season.
Jake Bobo added 20 yards on two receptions.
Kupp gave the offense more during the postseason, leading Seattle in receiving yards in two of its three playoff games. He finished the championship run with 15 receptions for 157 yards and one touchdown, showing he can still become a trusted option when the stakes rise.
The concern is whether the 33-year-old can carry a larger regular-season workload over 17 games.
Kupp is valuable as a route runner, blocker and third-down target, but Seattle can’t assume that its veteran receiver will return to the production he delivered during his peak seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
Seattle didn’t make a major outside addition to the receiver room after the season, instead keeping the same supporting cast around Smith-Njigba.
That continuity gives the Seahawks familiarity; on the flip side, it also means the solution to Bleacher Report’s warning must come from internal improvement if they don’t acquire players outside of the organization this season.
Shaheed, Horton Must Close the Gap
GettyRENTON, WASHINGTON – JULY 25: Rashid Shaheed #22 of the Seattle Seahawks runs with the ball during practice at Virginia Mason Athletic Center on July 25, 2026 in Renton, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images)
Shaheed has a remarkable opportunity to change the evaluation.
Seattle sent fourth and fifth-round draft picks to the New Orleans Saints to acquire him during the 2025 season, then signed him to a three-year contract in March.
His immediate value came on special teams, where he scored touchdowns on kick and punt returns.
The Seahawks expect more from him as a receiver after a full offseason with Darnold.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said the timing between Shaheed and the offense reflected the work invested during the spring, while Smith-Njigba said his teammate returned “more explosive than ever.”
Shaheed’s speed can force safeties away from Smith-Njigba, but Seattle still needs proof that he can become a steady second or third option. His 15 receptions with the Seahawks last season came within a limited offensive role after the midseason trade.
Horton offers another possible answer.
The 2025 fifth-round pick caught five touchdowns on only 13 receptions before his injury, displaying the vertical ability and red-zone efficiency the offense could use.
He participated in the first practice of training camp and returned for the second session.
The combination of Shaheed and Horton gives the Seahawks speed behind Smith-Njigba. Meanwhile, Kupp supplies experience, and Bobo contributes as a blocker and special-teams player.
Each option brings a useful trait, but none recently handled the volume associated with a proven No. 2 receiver.
Bleacher Report’s assessment may look overly harsh if Shaheed expands his role and Horton resumes his promising rookie start.
Until that happens, Seattle’s passing game stays wildly dependent on Smith-Njigba’s health and high-caliber production.
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