Pair of LSU Wide Receivers Battling Injuries, Utilizing Bye Week to Get Healthy

LSU wideout CJ Daniels lands on the injury report, battling a knee injury heading into SEC play.

CJ Daniels signals first down as the LSU Tigers take on UCLA at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA. Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LSU head coach Brian Kelly has been pleased with the passing attack this season led by LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier.

Nussmeier has utilized a deep arsenal of talent at this disposal, but there's a chance this offense can hit another gear during SEC play when healthy.

Through the first five weeks of the season, Nussmeier is 138-of-198 passing for 1,652 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions.

He leads the SEC in both completions and touchdowns while ranking in or near the Top 5 nationally in both categories.

The redshirt-junior quarterback has been sensational for LSU this season despite being without starting wide receiver Chis Hilton.

LSU has seen production from WR1 Kyren Lacy, tight end Mason Taylor and emerging star Aaron Anderson through the first quarter of the season.

Anderson leads the program in receiving yards with 371 on 27 receptions and a pair of touchdowns on 13.7 yards per catch. The second-year Tiger has become a focal point of LSU's offense while adding a weapon alongside Lacy at the receiver position.

For Lacy specifically, he's been the WR1 that LSU has needed this season with the departures of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. He's up to 352 yards and five touchdowns on just 25 receptions this season while leading the program in yards per catch with 14.1.

It's evident the passing attack is firing on all cylinders with Nussmeier utilizing weapons Lacy, Anderson, Taylor and CJ Daniels, but it still feels as though this unit has another gear it can hit during SEC play.

What's the latest on a pair of Tigers battling the injury bug?

The Injury Report: LSU Wide Receivers Edition

Chris Hilton: Ankle

LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton was expected to make his season debut last weekend against the South Alabama Jaguars, but didn't see the field in Week 5.

After suffering an ankle injury in August, Hilton has been sidelined, but continues trending in the right direction. He warmed up and went through pregame two weekend's ago prior to the UCLA game for the first time all season.

Now, all signs point to Hilton making his season debut next weekend against Ole Miss on Oct. 12 following the bye week.

"We’re bringing him back from a long layoff, so we’ll see what he looks like when he gets out there on Saturday,” Kelly said last week.

LSU has rolled with a receiver rotation of Kyren Lacy, Kyle Parker, CJ Daniels, Aaron Anderson and Zavion Thomas so far this season.

Once Hilton gets back in the mix, it will provide LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier with another receiver that can unlock the vertical passing game on offense.

WR CJ Daniels: Knee

LSU wide receiver CJ Daniels re-aggravated a knee injury he suffered in the past, according to Kelly, and will be continuing to rehab in order to build it back up. There is yet to be a timeframe revealed on how long he will be out.

The program has received "good reports" and the belief is that this will not be an injury that keeps him out for the foreseeable future.

“He aggravated a knee injury, but we got good reports on it,” Kelly said. “CJ is concerned because he had an ACL injury before, but it was not an ACL injury this time. Those are things, at first you’re concerned, but it turned out to be the best case scenario for us.”

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