Smith-Njigba scores three times as Seattle pulls away, 31–7
By Jordan Vance
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had one of the best fantasy days of the week. He caught 9 of 11 targets for 155 yards and three touchdowns as Seattle beat Arizona 31–7. The game was tied 7–7 at halftime. Seattle scored the last 24 points.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the whole story on offense for Seattle. He accounted for 155 of the team's 235 passing yards and outscored every other player in the game by double digits. The scores covered 82, 7, and 12 yards. Drew Lock got the start for Sam Darnold, who left the opener with a glute injury, and completed 19 of 26 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns without an interception — all three found Smith-Njigba. Emanuel Wilson carried 21 times for 92 yards. Jadarian Price had 13 carries for 52 yards and lost a fumble before leaving in the second half with what the team called a chest injury. Mike Macdonald said Monday it was a shoulder and it did not look serious. AJ Barner's 1-yard run closed the scoring.
Arizona never found an answer and finished with 151 yards. Jacoby Brissett completed 17 of 28 passes for 95 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The score was a 2-yard pass to Trey McBride on the first play of the second quarter, which tied the game. Seattle had the ball at the 1 late in the half and did not score, so it stayed 7–7 at the break. McBride finished with 8 catches on 10 targets for 41 yards. Nobody else in Arizona's passing game managed more than 18 yards. Marvin Harrison Jr. was targeted once and did not catch a pass, after a Week 1 line of 1 catch for 33 yards on 3 targets.
Fantasy winners: Smith-Njigba's day is one of the best of the week — a league-winning line, and the same 11 targets he had in Week 1. He is Seattle's clear WR1 with Lock or with Darnold. McBride still drew 10 targets and scored in a game Arizona could not move the ball.
Fantasy questions: Harrison's single target is the one to watch. Arizona needed points after the half, and he was not part of the plan. Whoever starts at quarterback for Seattle, Smith-Njigba's target share makes him a locked-in weekly starter.