The Seattle Seahawks could be without one of the NFL’s most productive wide receivers when they travel to Denver for a short-week matchup in Week 6. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was limited in practice for a second straight day with an ankle injury, raising legitimate concerns about his availability for Thursday night’s game against the Broncos.
JSN remains limited with ankle injury
Smith-Njigba was first added to Seattle’s injury report Monday, when he was listed as a limited participant with an ankle injury. The Seahawks did not actually practice Monday because of the short week, meaning the initial report was an estimate.
The receiver remained limited Tuesday, giving him back-to-back days on the injury report ahead of Thursday night’s game. Smith-Njigba was able to finish Seattle’s Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, which is an encouraging sign, but his continued limitation creates uncertainty heading into the matchup.
Seattle is already working with a condensed preparation schedule, making every practice session particularly important. Smith-Njigba’s status will be one of the biggest storylines to monitor as the Seahawks determine whether he can handle a full workload against Denver.
Losing Smith-Njigba would be a major blow
The potential absence of Smith-Njigba would be especially damaging considering how important he has been to Seattle’s offense. The reigning AP Offensive Player of the Year entered Week 6 among the NFL’s most productive receivers, and he recorded another 100-yard performance in Sunday’s 32-29 loss to San Francisco. He finished that game with five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Smith-Njigba had already established himself as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons before the Week 5 loss. Seattle’s own analysis noted that he had produced at least 100 receiving yards in four of the Seahawks’ first five games.
That makes his ankle situation particularly important with Denver waiting on the other side of a short week. The Broncos have a strong defense, and Seattle will be playing on the road, creating an even tougher environment if its top receiver is unavailable or limited.
There is still time for Smith-Njigba to improve before Thursday night. But two straight limited practices are far from ideal, and his status could have a significant impact on both Seattle’s offensive outlook and fantasy football lineups for Week 6.
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