Top LSU, Louisiana performers in NFL Week 16

The depth of standout performances from LSU alumni and Louisiana natives has been particularly impressive as the NFL season has hit its stretch run.

And a familiar position group — former Tigers receivers — headlined the Week 16 slate with several league-leading and career days.

Here’s a look at 20 of the top showings, including more than half a dozen pass-catchers who player their college ball in Baton Rouge.

Justin Jefferson (Destrehan, LSU)

The former Wildcats and Tigers star led all receivers with 144 yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches in the Vikings’ 27-24 win in Seattle, including the 39-yard, go-ahead score in the final minutes. The performance marked a season-high in yardage for Jefferson, as well as his second two-touchdown game in the past three weeks after going a season and a half without having done so.

Brian Thomas Jr. (Walker, LSU)

The rookie followed up his first career two-touchdown game in Week 15 with nine catches for a new career-high 132 yards and another score. Thomas has become an increasing focal point in the Jaguars’ offense late in the season with four straight weeks of double-digit targets.

Kayshon Boutte (Westgate, LSU)

Boutte caught his first career touchdown earlier this season and found the end zone again Sunday during an all-around career day with five catches for 95 yards in the Patriots’ loss at Buffalo.

Joe Burrow (LSU) and Ja’Marr Chase (Rummel, LSU)

Another solid day by the dynamic duo in Cincinnati helped keep the Bengals’ playoff hopes alive another week. Burrow completed 23 of his 30 passes for 252 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Chase caught six passes for 97 yards and a score to maintain his league lead in all three categories, now at 108 catches, 1,510 yards and 16 touchdowns for the season.

Malik Nabers (Comeaux/Southside, LSU)

The Giants’ rookie caught seven passes for 68 yards in another solid performance, one of his highest-graded of the season by Pro Football Focus. Even missing a couple of games earlier this season, Nabers is fifth in the league with 97 catches and is closing in on 1,000 yards and one of the top per-game averages.

Jayden Daniels (LSU)

The Commanders’ rookie quarterback threw for a new career-high five touchdowns to help lead Washington past Philadelphia, 36-33, with a a huge fourth-quarter comeback in the NFC East battle. Daniels finished 24-for-39 for 258 yards, the five scores and two interceptions.

K’Lavon Chaisson (LSU)

Chaisson continued the most productive stretch of his five-year career with a sack, a hit and a hurry in the Raiders’ 19-14 win against his old team, Jacksonville. He had five sacks during the previous four years combined and now has four in the past four weeks and five on the season overall.

Danielle Hunter (LSU)

Even on a week in which the former Tigers edge-rusher wasn’t able to corral a sack, his presence was still clear with five quarterback hurries, including a hit, and a pair of solo tackles within 3 yards of the line.

Grant Delpit (LSU)

The former Thorpe Award winner recorded his first sack of the season to highlight another standout tackling performance for the Browns in the secondary. Delpit’s five tackle total wasn’t one of his highest of the season, but he earned Cleveland’s highest Pro Football Focus grade in that area highlighted by the sack and another third-down stop that both forced punts.

Foster Moreau (Jesuit, LSU)

The New Orleans native caught two passes for 33 yards in another of his higher-graded receiving performances of the season in a tough night overall for the Saints.

Cor’Dale Flott (LSU)

Flott snatched his first interception of the season for the Giants and three tackles.

Trey Palmer (Kentwood, LSU)

The Tangipahoa Parish speedster had one of his more impactful games of the season for the Buccaneers with two catches for 31 yards — just a couple yards shy of his season-high — and 31 yards on four punt returns — matching his season-high in both categories.

Tyjae Spears (Ponchatoula, Tulane)

After finding the end zone just once in his first nine games of the season, the former Green Wave star has now scored four times in the past two weeks. Spears was the Titans’ second-leading rusher with 27 yards and two scores on 10 carries and third-leading receiver with 39 yards on three catches in a road loss to the Colts. He was also explosive on special teams with two kick returns for a season-high 69 yards, including a career-long 42-yard return.

Derius Davis (West Feliciana)

Davis earned the league’s third-highest receiving grade from Pro Football Focus for his efficient Thursday night for the Chargers: two targets, two catches, a season-high 31 yards and his first touchdown catch of the season. His 19-yard score early in the fourth quarter put Los Angeles ahead on its way to a 34-27 win at Denver. He also added a 17-yard punt return.

Kevin Dotson (Plaquemine, Ragin’ Cajuns)

The Los Angeles Rams’ right guard continues to be a steady member of this list each week in the back half of the season. Seven of his eight highest overall Pro Football Focus grades have come in the past eight weeks, including second-highest pass-blocking grade of the season Sunday. The 19-9 road win vs. the Jets marked his ninth straight game not charged with allowing a sack and his fourth in the past six not even allowing a quarterback hit or hurry.

Justin Reid (Dutchtown)

The former Griffins’ star had one of his highest-graded games of his seven-year career to help lead Kansas City to a 27-19 defeat of his former team, the Texans. Reid was once again among the Chiefs’ leaders with five tackles, including four solo stops and one for loss, and he deflected two passes and allowed just one catch — a 4-yard loss — on four targets. Pro Football Focus scored it his best performance in coverage since 2019.

Malcolm Roach (Madison Prep)

Roach was this week’s highest-graded defender among Louisiana natives, according to Pro Football Focus, highlighted by one of his top pass-rush performances of the season. The former Madison Prep star was credited with three hurries, plus a stop for no gain and a forced fumble.

Edgerrin Cooper (Covington)

The former Covington star continued his exceptional rookie season for the Packers with another week among the league’s top-graded linebackers, including the best run-defense rating of his young career. Cooper led Green Bay with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops and one for loss, in a 34-0 shutout of the Saints on Monday Night Football in which New Orleans managed just 67 yards on 20 carries.

Amik Robertson (Thibodaux, Louisiana Tech)

Robertson had one of his better games of his first season with Detroit, highlighted by his strong effort in run support. The former Thibodaux star finished second on the Lions’ unit with a season-high eight tackles, including five solo stops and one for loss, and deflected two passes in coverage.