Start Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Justin Jefferson? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Jaxon Smith-Njigba over Justin Jefferson in Week 1.

Justin Jefferson is listed out on our news wire, so this is not a close call: start Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Drafters take Jaxon Smith-Njigba at ADP 7 and Justin Jefferson at 10.

What the books imply

No sportsbook posted a player market for Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Week 1.

Player prop markets imply 9.0 fantasy points for Justin Jefferson, with 60 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

Jaxon Smith-Njigba and SEA host NE.

NE allowed 33.1 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 12th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 161 yards and a touchdown against NE.

Justin Jefferson and MIN host GB on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

GB allowed 31.2 fantasy points to WRs in its one game this season, the 13th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns against GB.

By points allowed to the position, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Jaxon Smith-Njigba was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Justin Jefferson was listed as out when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Jaxon Smith-Njigba played 17 games for SEA and scored 359.9 PPR points, 21.2 a game, finishing WR2.

He caught 119 of 163 targets for 1793 yards and 10 touchdowns, with 17 red zone targets and 1265 air yards.

He was on the field for 78 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Week 18 of 2025 against SF: 57 of 69 snaps, 8 targets and 6 catches for 84 yards, 14.4 PPR points.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Week 17 of 2025 against CAR: 59 of 66 snaps, 12 targets and 9 catches for 72 yards, 16.2 PPR points.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Week 16 of 2025 against LAR: 65 of 68 snaps, 13 targets and 8 catches for 96 yards, 1 touchdown, 23.6 PPR points.

In 2025, Justin Jefferson played 17 games for MIN and scored 201.5 PPR points, 11.9 a game, finishing WR21.

He caught 84 of 141 targets for 1048 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 17 red zone targets and 597 air yards.

He was on the field for 95 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Justin Jefferson, Week 18 of 2025 against GB: 1 carry for 3 yards, 11 targets and 8 catches for 101 yards, 18.4 PPR points.

Justin Jefferson, Week 17 of 2025 against DET: 53 of 54 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 30 yards, 7.0 PPR points.

Justin Jefferson, Week 16 of 2025 against NYG: 58 of 61 snaps, 8 targets and 6 catches for 85 yards, 14.5 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Jaxon Smith-Njigba scored 26.2 PPR points and Justin Jefferson scored 31.2.

The call was wrong: Justin Jefferson outscored Jaxon Smith-Njigba by 5.0.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Week 1 against NE: 45 of 50 snaps, 11 targets and 8 catches for 122 yards, 1 touchdown, 26.2 PPR points.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba finished as the week's WR6 in PPR scoring.

Justin Jefferson finished 22.2 points above the 9.0 the props implied.

Justin Jefferson, Week 1 against GB: 60 of 65 snaps, 9 targets and 8 catches for 92 yards, 2 touchdowns, 31.2 PPR points.

Justin Jefferson finished as the week's WR3 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Amon-Ra St. Brown over Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
• Start Jaxon Smith-Njigba over CeeDee Lamb.
• Start Jaxon Smith-Njigba over Drake London.
• Start A.J. Brown over Justin Jefferson.
• Start Amon-Ra St. Brown over Justin Jefferson.
• Start CeeDee Lamb over Justin Jefferson.