- In the end, it came down to the NFL’s best: Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puka Nacua have been fighting for the top PFF receiving grade all year, and they were at it again in the Seahawks‘ playoff victory over the Rams.
- Davante Adams closed out an impressive first season in Los Angeles: The 33-year-old receiver notched four catches for 89 yards in the Rams’ defeat, helping him garner an 80.9 PFF receiving grade for the game.
- 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
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After diving into the top wide receivers by PFF receiving grade all year, we’re doing the same for the conference championship games. These were the five highest-graded wide receivers during the penultimate round of the NFL playoffs. To qualify, players needed to have logged at least 15 receiving snaps.
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1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks (92.0)
Round three between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks lived up to the hype, with Smith-Njigba putting up a monster first-half stat line — seven catches for 115 yards. The superstar receiver accounted for three gains of 15-plus yards in the frame, including a 42-yard bomb with under a minute remaining in the second quarter to move Seattle just outside the red zone. He capped the drive with a 14-yard end-zone catch to give the Seahawks a halftime lead. Smith-Njigba finished the game with 10 catches on 12 targets for 153 yards, including eight receptions of 10-plus yards.
After a slow start to the postseason (three catches for 19 yards against the 49ers in the divisional round), the 2025 first-team All-Pro enters Super Bowl 60 having caught 13 of 16 targets for 172 yards and two touchdowns. He has moved the chains 10 times and is averaging 3.13 yards per route run during the playoffs. He is also generating a 151.0 NFL passer rating when targeted.
Smith-Njigba is a home-run threat every time he touches the ball. He not only led the league in receiving yards during the regular season (1,793), but also in explosive gains (44) while tying Puka Nacua in catches of 20-plus yards (27). Smith-Njigba has gained 79 first downs and produced perfect PFF receiving grades (99.9) on intermediate (10-19 yards) and deep (20-plus yards) targets this season. During the postseason, he has caught six of eight downfield targets for 100 yards, including both of his touchdowns.
Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba battled in the PFF rankings all season long, and the NFC Championship game was no different. Nacua finished just behind his division rival with an elite 91.5 PFF receiving grade.
Nacua secured five catches of 20-plus yards in the game. He separated from three-time Pro Bowler Devon Witherspoon for a 44-yard gain in the first quarter. He also spun away from Riq Woolen late in the third quarter for a 34-yard touchdown catch, adjusting for the falling grab. His last catch came on the final play of the game — a 21-yard gain to cross midfield, after which the clock ran out. Nacua recorded nine catches for 165 yards. It was his fifth game with 150-plus receiving yards this season and his eighth consecutive game with double-digit targets (14).
Nacua exited the playoffs with 24 catches for 332 yards and an 86.9 PFF receiving grade (fourth best). He caught two touchdown passes, gained 17 first downs (most) and racked up 10 catches of 15-plus yards.
It was a record-setting season for the 2023 fifth-round pick, who was named the PFF Offensive Player of the Year, as well as the PFF Receiver of the Year. Nacua led all receivers in several categories in 2025, headlined by his 96.2 PFF receiving grade. He caught fire to end the regular season, tallying 43 catches for 696 yards and six touchdowns over his last five games. He recorded a 96.6 PFF receiving grade over that span, which included two of PFF’s highest-graded single-game performances by a receiver in Weeks 14 (97.4) and 15 (95.0).
3. Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams (80.9)
Adams recorded four catches for 89 yards — including three gains of 20-plus yards — in the Rams’ defeat. He took advantage of a stumbling Devon Witherspoon for a 23-yard gain early in the second quarter and caught Witherspoon slipping again for a 35-yard gain late in the third quarter.
The veteran gained separation from Josh Jobe downfield for a 29-yard catch earlier in the period before punching it in on the next play with a two-yard catch. Adams averaged 3.30 yards per route and generated a 149.3 passer rating when targeted in the game.
Adams brought in 11 catches for 185 yards and a touchdown during the postseason. He moved the chains 10 times, with five catches of 15-plus yards. He completed his first season in Los Angeles with 71 catches for 974 yards, as well as 61 first downs, 31 explosive gains and a league-high 15 touchdown catches.
The 33-year-old was a red-zone weapon this season. His 34 red-zone targets led the NFL, and he brought in 14 of them for 67 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was also excellent against man coverage, bringing in 23 targets for 243 yards, 21 first downs (sixth most) and nine touchdowns. Not only did he lead the position in touchdown catches against man coverage, but he was also the second-most-targeted receiver against those looks (49).
4. Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos (69.0)
Mims was able to get by Christian Gonzalez for a 52-yard strike on a third down in the first quarter of the Broncos’ loss to the Patriots, helping set up the first score of the game. He didn’t do much after that, finishing the contest with four catches for 62 yards.
The 2023 second-round pick caught 12 of 14 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown during the postseason. He gained seven first downs, with three catches of 20-plus yards, while also leading the Broncos in adjusted target rate (29.8%).
Mims tallied the third-most receiving yards (477) among Broncos’ receivers this season and turned 49 catches into 21 first downs, two scores and nine plays of 20-plus yards. Most of his targets came from behind the line of scrimmage (27, tied for fourth most), where he secured 25 passes for 106 yards and five first downs. Mims also saw 17 deep targets and brought down seven for 216 yards. Both of his touchdowns this season came from passes targeted 20-plus yards in the air.
Mims was at his best against man coverage, notching 13 catches on 17 targets for 197 yards and a touchdown. He finished second on the team with a 76.7 PFF receiving grade on those plays.
5. Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks (67.9)
Kupp broke outside the numbers for a 12-yard gain to move the chains on third down midway through the third quarter, and he converted on third down again later on the drive with a 13-yard touchdown to give Seattle a 10-point lead. He finished the game with four catches for 36 yards, generating a 122.2 NFL passer rating when targeted.
The 2022 Super Bowl MVP will look to add another ring to his collection as he prepares to square off against New England’s defense in Super Bowl 60. Kupp has now caught nine of 11 passes for 96 yards this postseason. He has gained six first downs, along with his touchdown catch, and is averaging 2.04 yards per route run.
The 32-year-old receiver is up to 56 catches for 689 yards and three touchdowns in his first season in Seattle. Kupp has forced 10 missed tackles, made 16 catches of 15-plus yards and averaged 5.6 yards after the catch per reception.
He remains effective out of the slot, where he’s caught 26 passes for 250 yards, a touchdown and 12 first downs. While most of his targets come within nine yards of the line of scrimmage (48), Kupp can still stretch the field, having made 11 catches at the intermediate level for 263 yards and one touchdown. He boasts a 97.7 PFF receiving grade on throws between 10-19 yards downfield. He also owns a team-high 95.3 PFF receiving grade on short passes, bringing in 39 for 360 yards and 18 first downs.
