Is LSU wide receiver CJ Daniels playing today? Latest injury updates

All season, LSU has had trouble establishing a run game, so head coach Brian Kelly’s Tigers have leaned on veteran quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels’ replacement, Garrett Nussmeier. With Daniels off to the NFL this past offseason along with his star wide receiver Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. who are both thriving in their rookie seasons in the league, Nussmeier has established a quality passing game with a new group of targets. 

After a Week 1 non-conference loss to USC at a neutral site game, the Tigers have gone undefeated, and today in Week 9, they’ll play for first place in the SEC against the 6-1 Texas A&M Aggies, who are also unbeaten in SEC play. Texas A&M’s only loss also came in Week 1 non-conference against Notre Dame at College Station. 

CJ Daniels injury update

Tonight, No. 8 LSU and No. 14 Texas A&M will square off at Kyle Field in College Station, but Kelly’s team could be without one of its key wide receivers. 6-foot-2 205-pound senior CJ Daniels will reportedly be a game-time decision. On the mid-week availability report, he was listed as questionable after catching seven passes for 86 yards in LSU’s 34-10 win over Arkansas last Saturday. 

As ESPN’s Pete Thamel also reported, Chris Hilton Jr. will make his season debut for the Tigers, and if Daniels is unable to play, he could offset some of that missing production. For the season, Daniels is fourth on the team with 27 catches for 325 yards. Hilton has not played this season and across the past three seasons in Baton Rouge, he has 22 catches for 415 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot 192-pound deep threat averages 18.9 yards per reception for his career, which would lead the Tigers in 2024. 

Nussmeier will need to have an excellent game against Texas A&M’s defense, led by defensive-minded head coach Mike Elko, and that will be much easier with Daniels and Hilton both 100%.