- WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: Intended schematic changes could increase Chase’s efficiency.
- WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams: The Rams’ offensive personnel remains steady.
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The NFL’s increasing use of heavy personnel packages is shrinking the flex-viable wide receiver pool, in turn making the position’s elite players more valuable. Identifying the clear-cut overall WR1 candidates gives fantasy managers an edge in drafts.
The article below breaks down Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua’s receiving profile and overall offensive situations. They are the top three contenders for the overall WR1 finish in 2026.
Chase’s, Nacua’s and Smith-Njigba’s 2025 advanced data
| Metric | Ja'Marr Chase | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Puka Nacua |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFF Receiving Grade | 90.1 | 93.1 | 96.2 |
| Weeks 1-17 Half-PPR – PPR Total Scoring | 231.5 – 290.0 | 289.0 – 345.5 | 289.5 – 349.0 |
| Weeks 1-17 Half-PPR – PPR Per Game | 15.4 – 19.3 | 18.1 – 21.6 | 19.3 – 23.3 |
| WR1 Seasons Streak Half-PPR – PPR | 3 – 3 | 2 – 2 | 1 – 1 |
| Reg. Season Rec./Tgt. – Yards – TDs | 125/182 – 1,412 – 8 | 119/157 – 1,793 – 10 | 129/160 – 1,715 – 10 |
| First-Read Targets | 140 | 148 | 163 |
| Target Rate | 28.8% | 31.3% | 34.8% |
| Yards Per Route Run | 2.23 | 3.42 | 3.57 |
| Yards After Catch Per Reception | 5.2 | 4.4 | 5.1 |
| Team PFF Passing Grade | 79.5 | 79.4 | 91.7 |
| OL PFF Pass-Blocking Grade | 64.1 | 65.1 | 64.6 |
As detailed in “How play action, pre-snap motion, and RPO rates define 2026 fantasy value,” “The NFL’s average expected points added (EPA) per play in 2025 jumps from -0.031 without play action to 0.054 with play action. The NFL’s yards per pass play leap from 6.72 without play action to 7.76 with play action.
The NFL average EPA per play in 2025 drops from -0.014 without shifts to -0.070 with shifts, yet jumps from -0.042 without motion to 0.002 with motion.
The NFL average EPA per play in 2025 drops from -0.015 on non-RPO plays to -0.030 on RPO plays, yet quarterback yards per rushing attempt jump from 4.39 on non-RPO plays to 4.56 on RPO plays.”
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor inexcusably decreased his offense’s play-action usage from 19.5% in 2024 to 17.1% in 2025, ranking dead last among NFL offenses. By comparison, his 65.0% shifts and motion rate ranks 16th, and his 13.2% RPO rate ranks fifth.
Fortunately, Taylor’s foolishness and quarterback Joe Burrow’s stubbornness may be coming to an end. In June, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. reported that the Bengals plan to increase their under-center and play-action rates this season in a much-needed effort to increase their explosive play rate.
He explains, “[t]he top five teams in usage of under-center and under-center play action last year all finished in the top quarter of the NFL in explosive-play rate.
Six of those eight made the playoffs. Three were playing conference championship weekend, including both Super Bowl participants…
NFL teams over the last three seasons have produced 1,499 explosive completions while using under-center play action.
Joe Burrow produced one…
[The 2025 Bengals offense] ranked 22nd in explosive play rate, a fourth consecutive season in the bottom third of the league.”
Training camp results have fallen short, but the effort is at least being made.
Chase totaled 171 targets in 2024 and 182 in 2025. During that span, he averaged 11.7 yards per reception and 2.13 yards per route run (YPRR) without play action via 291 qualifying targets. Meanwhile, he averages 15.2 yards per reception and 3.23 YPRR with play action on 62 qualifying targets.
If Chase maintains a similar workload while Taylor even moderately increases the team’s under-center and play-action rates, Chase can reach heretofore unseen heights. He was the 2024 overall WR1 in both formats.
Taylor also fails to provide Chase an edge that both Smith-Njigba and Nacua enjoy: Centerfield targets. Among NFL skill-position players with at least 15 targets thrown 10-plus yards downfield and between the painted numbers during the 2025 regular season, Chase’s 19 qualifying targets tied for 28th. Likewise, Nacua’s 25 tied for 13th, whereas Smith-Njigba’s 33 ranked third. Chase averaged 24.4 yards per qualifying reception compared to 25.0 for Nacua and 18.9 for Smith-Njigba.
Tee Higgins, Chase’s teammate, tied for 41st with 15 centerfield targets. He earned an 80.2 PFF receiving grade last year.
Nacua’s elite usage will remain constant under head coach Sean McVay. The Rams’ pass-catching corps received no meaningful upgrades and will likely feature a tight end in the de facto No. 3 wide receiver role.
Smith-Njigba must adjust to new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s system, though Fleury’s system shares substantial philosophical overlap with former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Fleury has extensive experience coaching on defense, special teams and offense, and he is expected to smartly increase the Seahawks’ shifts and motion rates.
The Seahawks also plan to feature downfield speed, which should divert safety attention away from Smith-Njigba in the short-to-intermediate field depths.
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