WRU Battle 2025: Ohio State’s heavy Week 3 workload nudges Buckeyes ahead of LSU
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If you were an NFL general manager, would you rather have Larry Fitzgerald or Terrell Owens?
Stylistically, the 2 players were much different across the bulk of their careers. Fitzgerald served more as a reliable, chain-moving option (8 seasons of 90-plus catches to Owens’ 3). Conversely, Owens was a better big-play threat (13 seasons with a long reception of 50-plus yards to Fitzgerald’s 6). Owens averaged roughly 6 more yards per game (72.8) and 2 more yards per reception (14.8) than Fitzgerald (66.5 and 12.2, respectively) in the NFL. Owens had more All-Pro seasons (5 to 1), but Fitzgerald made more Pro Bowls (11 to 6).
So… who would you rather have?
A reminder: Owens is a Hall of Famer with the 3rd-most receiving yards in NFL history (15,934). Fitzgerald, who ranks 2nd all-time in receiving yards (17,492), is set to join him in Canton next summer. You can’t really go wrong with either option.
“Get to the point, man!”
Okay, sorry! The point is, your choice — without considering off-field shenanigans — likely comes down to a matter of preference. Sometimes, you’d rather have consistency than volatility. Through 3 weeks, Ohio State’s wideouts have offered the former, while LSU‘s have provided the latter. In a WRU race that should have a tight finish, you must have a differentiating factor. These 2 schools’ respective stat lines aren’t close enough to bring such a variable into play yet, but it’s worth noting.
Ohio State WR of the Week: Garrett Wilson (Jets)
Week 3 Stats: 10 rec., 84 yds., 1 TD
Wilson drew 13 targets from Tyrod Taylor in Week 3. He hauled in 10 of them and found the end zone in the third quarter, effectively kickstarting New York’s march back into the game against Tampa Bay.
With few other legitimate receiving options on the roster, Wilson will be in the thick of things no matter who’s under center. He and the Jets will try to get their first win of the season in Miami on Monday Night Football (7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN) this week.
LSU WR of the Week: Justin Jefferson (Vikings)
Week 3 Stats: 5 rec., 75 yds., 0 TD
It’s a testament to Jefferson’s level of stardom that 5 receptions and 75 yards feels like a pedestrian performance. He’s one of the league’s smoothest operators, but proved he’s not merely a finesse player by powering through multiple defenders on his 36-yard catch-and-run late in the first half versus the Bengals.
Is Carson Wentz better for Minnesota’s pass game than J.J. McCarthy at this moment? Maybe. What’s not debatable, though, is that Jordan Addison as Jefferson’s running mate should make life easier for everyone on the Vikings’ offense. His suspension has come and gone; he’ll be making his season debut in Ireland against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Other Ohio State WRs in Week 3
Here’s a look at the rest of the Ohio State receivers we’re tracking for this exercise:
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks): 5 rec., 96 yds., 1 TD
- Seattle built a 21-0 lead on the New Orleans Saints in the first quarter last Sunday. As a result, Smith-Njigba played only 28 of the Seahawks’ 57 offensive snaps. He still managed to earn 6 targets despite this, and clearly made the most of them. This outing was actually his worst of the season, which shows how great he has been alongside new quarterback Sam Darnold so far.
Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers): 6 rec., 85 yds., 0 TD
- With Mike Evans expected to miss 3 weeks after suffering a hamstring injury versus the Jets, Egbuka’s rise to the top of Tampa Bay’s wide receiver depth chart is already complete. It’s possible he maintains that status even when Evans and Chris Godwin return to the field. His electric start has made him the betting favorite for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Chris Olave (Saints): 10 rec., 57 yds., 0 TD
- As anticipated, Olave spent a large chunk of his Week 3 contest in a negative game script. The results were… uninspiring. The fourth-year wideout has seen 10 or more targets in every Saints contest this year, but has not topped 60 yards or scored a touchdown yet. Perhaps he’ll have better luck on the road in what could be a Groundhog Day situation when New Orleans travels to Buffalo on Sunday.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals): 3 rec., 44 yds., 0 TD
- Another week, another measly outing for Harrison. His target share (19.3%) is less than half of Smith-Njigba’s league-best mark (40.3%). Former Arizona wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown once asked, “what’s the point of having souljas when you never use them (Never!!)” Brown may not be the most appropriate messenger for such a statement, but his message certainly applies to the Cardinals’ treatment of their No. 4 overall pick.
Other LSU WRs in Week 3
And here’s a look at the other former Bayou Bengals in the NFL:
Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati): 5 rec., 50 yds., 0 TD
- That one got away fast, didn’t it? The Bengals had the ball down 17-3 at the 2-minute warning of the first half in Minnesota. They had an opportunity to “double dip” with scores to tie the game. Instead, Cincinnati somehow trailed 34-3 at the break. Zac Taylor has probably already burnt the tape from this one, meaning Chase and Co. are on to MNF in Denver (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC).
Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars): 2 rec., 55 yds., 0 TD
- It was reasonable to expect some regression for Thomas following an absurd rookie campaign. Nobody saw a 3-week stretch this poor coming, though. Liam Coen had Mike Evans and Chris Godwin putting on a show for Tampa Bay this time last year, but can’t seem to get Thomas and Travis Hunter out of the starting gate. It appears Shane Waldron has struck again.
Kayshon Boutte (Patriots): 2 rec., 28 yds., 0 TD
- Eight different New England players saw 3 or more targets in Week 3. Boutte, who was one of them, could possess the most upside of any receiving weapon on the Pats’ roster. Unfortunately, it looks like he’ll be trying to hit MLB home runs with a Wiffle ball bat until Drake Maye consolidates his passing attack.
Malik Nabers (Giants): 2 rec., 13 yds., 0 TD
- How fast things change. Russell Wilson went from a world-beater against the Dallas Cowboys to the bench in a matter of 10 days. In the process, Nabers posted the worst outing of his professional career versus the Kansas City Chiefs. Are we optimistic about Nabers versus the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4 with Jaxson Dart making his NFL debut? No. But it’s not like there’s a high bar to clear for better numbers, either.
Week 3 Totals
Ohio State: 34 rec., 366 yds. (10.7 yards per reception), 2 TD
LSU: 16 rec., 221 yds. (13.8 yards per reception), 0 TD
Week 3 Winner: Ohio State (2-1)
Season Totals
Ohio State: 90 rec., 1,040 yds. (11.6 yards per reception), 7 TD
LSU: 65 rec., 954 yds. (14.7 yards per reception), 5 TD
Season Leader: Ohio State
