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WRU Battle 2025: LSU bounces back against Ohio State with dominant Week 2 NFL showings

Published: Sep 18, 2025 · 11:03 AM EDT

Words cannot accurately describe how great it is for football to be back. We were treated to some excellent college games on Saturday, then witnessed some tremendous NFL finishes on Sunday and Monday. Unsurprisingly, LSU and Ohio State had some receiving alums standing front and center in those professional showdowns.

The battle for WRU can turn in an instant. The Buckeyes were off and running in the season’s opening week, but we all knew the Tigers weren’t going to slowly fade away into the night. There’s one question, though: did they leap into the top spot, or merely close the deficit they were dealt in Week 1?

We’re not here to spoil the mystery, but will say this much: if this competition winds up being as back-and-forth as we anticipate, it’s going to be a fun year.

LSU WR of the Week: Malik Nabers (Giants)

Week 2 Stats: 9 rec., 167 yds., 2 TD

By no means was Nabers quiet in his season opener (5 rec., 71 yards). He was actually the Tigers’ second most prolific receiver, behind Kayshon Boutte, in Week 1. That said, most stat lines before and after the one he posted in Week 2 are going to look tame. The second-year receiver would have had the game-winning score for New York had Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey not drilled a 64-yard field goal at the end of regulation to force overtime.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1968042204351353239

Russell Wilson has always thrown a great deep ball. With Wan’Dale Robinson working underneath, Nabers is going to see plenty of opportunities down field. It remains to be seen if Wilson will be at quarterback for the majority of the season, but while he’s on the field, Nabers is a big play waiting to happen.

Ohio State WR of the Week: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

Week 2 Stats: 8 rec., 103 yds., 0 TD

JSN is the only receiver we’re tracking that topped 100 receiving yards in Week 1 and Week 2. Through 2 games, only Nabers (238) has more receiving yards than him (227). Most of his production against the Steelers reportedly came with Jalen Ramsey in coverage.

JSN has been one of the best receivers out there through the first two weeks pic.twitter.com/QbNubpskn8
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) September 14, 2025

Smith-Njigba is pacing the league in target share (44.2%) thus far. Sam Darnold looked much more comfortable in Seattle’s offense this week, which could — and probably should — mean more involvement for Cooper Kupp and Tory Horton going forward. He’s going to be the focal point of the Seahawks’ passing attack regardless, though. He’ll try to find the end zone for the first time in Week 3 versus the New Orleans Saints.

Other LSU WRs in Week 2

Here’s a look at how the other Tiger WRs fared:

Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals): 14 rec., 165 yds., 1 TD

One of the interesting aspects of this competition is how receivers will respond to forces beyond their control. Jake Browning is a fine quarterback; he’s not Joe Burrow. Chase will still see a buffet of targets each week, but how his production fluctuates alongside Browning will be something to monitor. He’s a tough luck “other” inclusion this week because of Nabers.

Justin Jefferson (Vikings): 3 rec., 81 yds., 0 TD

They’re a conference apart, but Jefferson and Chase are still 2 peas in a pod. They’re facing off in Week 3 with backup quarterbacks at the helm of their respective offenses. Kevin O’Connell and Jefferson helped Sam Darnold get a fat paycheck last offseason; maybe Carson Wentz — who almost won an MVP award *checks notes* 8 years ago (where has time gone?!) — will be their next beneficiary.

Kayshon Boutte (Patriots): 1 rec., 16 yds., 1 TD

Everyone’s favorite Week 2 waiver wire add scored late in the first quarter of New England’s 33-27 win over the Miami Dolphins. We’re hoping his lack of involvement in the offense after that is an aberration. However, Drake Maye targeting 9 players against Miami — after looking10 different guys’ way versus the Las Vegas Raiders — indicates Boutte’s weekly workload will be as consistent as a dusty Nintendo cartridge.

Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars): 4 rec., 49 yds., 0 TD

Good news: Thomas caught 3 more passes in Week 2 than he did in Week 1. Bad news (for fantasy managers): he managed to score fewer PPR points (8.9) than he did in Jacksonville’s season opener (9.0) because he didn’t have a rushing touchdown to fall back on. Whether his slow start is due to an unwillingness to take contact or an act of self-preservation on “hospital balls” is in the eye of the beholder. Either way, we’re definitely shocked that Twitter/X is split on the topic.

Other Ohio State WRs in Week 2

Now let’s look at the other Buckeyes we’re tracking this season:

Chris Olave (Saints): 6 rec., 54 yds., 0 TD

New Orleans has been more competitive through 2 weeks than many analysts expected. Head coach Kellen Moore’s team also played Kyler Murray — possibly the most frustrating QB in the NFL to watch on a weekly basis — and Mac Jones in those contests. Sam Darnold isn’t decidedly better than either of them, but Mike Macdonald’s defense at home is by far the toughest test of the young season for Spencer Rattler. Any garbage time production Olave has this week, for better or worse, won’t be discounted here at WRU Battle HQ.

Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers): 4 rec., 29 yds., 1 TD

Egbuka’s final catch in Tampa Bay’s 20-19 victory over the Houston Texans was the 15-yard touchdown he scored with 9:48 remaining in the first half. He was seen getting his hip and groin wrapped on the sideline during the game, then missed practice on Wednesday because of ailments in both areas. The rookie wideout finished Monday night’s affair despite the injuries, so we’re assuming (for now) that he’ll be active in Week 3.

Garrett Wilson (Jets): 4 rec., 50 yds., 0 TD

New York’s offensive renaissance somehow ended faster than Arch Manning’s Heisman case. Wilson surely hopes his friend, Justin Fields, will be back from his concussion sooner than later. This Sunday, though, Fields is out and Tyrod Taylor is in. The Jets’ QB room’s constant state of purgatory has to have Wilson wondering what he did wrong in a past life, no?

Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals): 2 rec., 27 yds., 0 TD

Has “Maserati Marv” become the “Maserati in a trailer park“? Harrison has 3 or fewer receptions in 8 of 19 career games. He has never caught more than 6 passes in a game and has seen double-digit targets just thrice. His selection may mark the second time in 4 drafts that a red NFC team with a bird mascot took a potential superstar at No. 4 overall and promptly forgot he exists (2025 really is Kyle Pitts’ year, we swear). Let’s hope Harrison doesn’t become the unfortunate bearer of Pitts’ mantle.