FILE – Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) runs after a catch during a NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Oct. 12, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis.
Jeffrey Phelps/AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps
FILE – Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) catches the ball during the NFC Championship NFL football game Jan. 25, 2026, in Seattle.
Ben VanHouten/AP Photo/Ben VanHouten
FILE – Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs with the ball during the NFC Championship NFL football game Jan. 25, 2026, in Seattle.
Ben VanHouten/AP Photo/Ben VanHouten
FILE – Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) catches a touchdown pass ahead of Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during the first half of an NFL football game Nov. 2, 2025, in Detroit.
Ryan Sun/AP Photo/Ryan Sun
FILE – Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) catches a pass during an NFL football practice in Allen Park, Mich., June 11, 2026.
Paul Sancya/AP Photo/Paul Sancya
Jaxon Smith-Njigba won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award and the Super Bowl last season before the Seattle Seahawks gave him the biggest contract for a wide receiver in NFL history.
No surprise he was voted the NFL’s top wideout by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.
Smith-Njigba received four first-place votes, three thirds and a fourth from a panel of eight AP pro football writers, who ranked the top five receivers entering the 2026 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.
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Ja’Marr Chase got two firsts and Justin Jefferson and Puka Nacua each received one.
1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
The 24-year-old set a team record for yards receiving (1,793) and receptions (119) last season. He received a four-year, $168.6 million extension that averages $42.15 million annually and includes over $120 million in guaranteed money.
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Smith-Njigba, a unanimous All-Pro selection, had nine 100-yard receiving games during the regular season and was a key to Seattle winning its second Super Bowl in franchise history.
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2. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Chase, a unanimous All-Pro selection in 2024, tied Justin Jefferson for first place in voting last year in this survey.
He had 125 receptions, 1,412 yards receiving and eight touchdowns last season after earning the receiving triple crown in 2024.
Chase got two first-place votes, three seconds, two thirds and was left off one ballot.
3. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Nacua was a unanimous All-Pro selection after leading the NFL with 129 catches for 1,715 yards and 10 TDs.
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Nacua has averaged 104 catches, 1,397 yards receiving and six TDs over his three seasons in the NFL, giving Matthew Stafford a top target and the Rams an elite passing attack.
He got one first-place vote, three seconds and appeared on seven ballots.
4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
In a down season, Jefferson had 84 catches for 1,048 yards and two TDs while catching passes from three different Vikings quarterbacks.
The two-time All-Pro has averaged 97 catches, 1,413 yards and seven TDs over his six seasons in the NFL.
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Jefferson still received one first-place vote, two seconds and appeared on seven ballots.
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
St. Brown was a second-team All-Pro after earning first-team honors the previous two seasons.
He had 117 receptions, 1,401 yards receiving and 11 TDs last season for the Lions. St. Brown has four straight seasons of more than 100 receptions and more than 1,100 yards receiving.
He appeared on seven of the eight ballots.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl