By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
Each week of the regular season, we highlight the region’s best professional performances by alumni veterans and standout rookies.
Here are my picks for the best ones.
1. Puka Nacua, WR, Rams/BYU
tThe former BYU star had 10 catches for 76 yards and a touchdown as the team led 37-20. 
victory over Arizona.
This was the 35th time in his career that he caught at least five passes, becoming just the third player in NFL history with at least five receptions in 35 games in the first three seasons of his career.
Nacua also has 4,191 receiving yards since entering the NFL in 2023, the second-most receiving yards by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history, trailing only Justin Jefferson’s 4,825.
2. Carl Granderson, DE, Santos/Wyoming
tThe former Wyoming Cowboy had a very productive finish to his seventh season in the league.
In the loss to the Falcons, he tied a career-high with 10 tackles and five of them solo stops.
He also added 1.5 sacks and got the first interception of his career in the 105th game of the regular season.
3. Jared Goff QB, Lions/California
YoIf only Goff and the Lions could play the Bears and his former OC every week.
The former Cal Bear threw for 331 yards and a touchdown in the win over Chicago.
In two games against the Bears this season, he has 665 yards and six touchdowns.
4. Cade Otton, TE, Buccaneers/Washington
ohtton caught seven passes for 94 yards and a season-high touchdown in the Bucs’ win over the Panthers on Saturday.
It marked the second-highest single-game yardage total of his four-year career.
He finishes the season with 59 receptions, tying his career-high single-season mark.
5. Zach Charbonnet RB, Seahawks/UCLA
tThe former Bruin helped secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the Seahawks with their win over the Niners on Saturday.
The running back carried the ball 17 times for 74 yards and a touchdown while adding 23 yards receiving.
Charbonnet finished his third regular season with a career-high 730 rushing yards, and his 12 rushing touchdowns also set a new personal standard.
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions/USC
tThe former USC standout had a big afternoon as the Lions improved to 2-0 on the season against Chicago.
He finished the day with 11 receptions for 139 yards.
In the two games against the NFC North champions this season, he had 20 receptions for 254 yards and three touchdowns.
7. Bobby Okereke, LB, Giants/Stanford
tThe former Stanford LB was productive in the Giants’ season-ending win over the Cowboys.
Okereke made six tackles with one interception and one fumble recovery.
This gives him an interception in consecutive games after going 33 straight games without one. It also gives him seven interceptions in his career.
8. Nohl Williams, DB, bosses/Cal (R)
tThe Cal rookie recorded his first NFL sack in the Chiefs’ loss to the Raiders.
Williams also had six tackles and defended two passes.
9. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Steelers/California
tThe former Cal star brought Pittsburgh back for the win over Baltimore on Sunday night and, in doing so, earned another playoff appearance.
In the win, Rodgers threw for 294 yards and added 20 on the ground. He connected with Calvin Austin for the game-winning touchdown with 55 seconds left, giving the Steelers a 10-7 record on the season to win the AFC North.
That gives him more than 10 wins as a QB in 11 different seasons.
10. Drake London, WR, Falcons/USC
tThe former Trojan helped lead the Falcons to a share of the NFC South title and push the Panthers into the playoffs when Atlanta beat New Orleans.
In the win, London found the end zone for the first time in nearly two months, finishing the day with four receptions for 78 yards and the score.
11. Caleb Williams QB, bears/USC
tThe former USC Heisman winner had another productive outing as he once again came close to pulling off a comeback in the fourth quarter.
Williams completed more than 60% of his passes for 212 yards and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes and a conversion as the Bears fell to Detroit 19-16.
12. Jahlani Tavai, LB, Patriots/Hawaii
northNew England crushed the Dolphins in the season finale, and the former Rainbow Warrior was an important part of a defense that shut down Miami’s offense.
Tavai finished the afternoon with a season-high eight tackles, with a stop behind the line and a forced fumble.
13. Ashton Jeanty, RB, raiders/Boise State (R)
tThe rookie running back rushed for 87 yards and scored 94 total yards in the season finale.
The former Bronco finishes his rookie season with 975 rushing yards and another 346 receiving yards.
He found the end zone a combined total of 10 times in his first season as a pro.
14. bo nix, Quarterback, Broncos/Oregon
northix threw for 141 yards and 49 rushing yards in the Broncos’ 19-3 win over the Chargers.
This was the 24th victory of his career. That ties the former Duck with Russell Wilson for the most wins by a quarterback in the first two seasons of his career in NFL history.
15. Tanner McKee QB, commanders/Stanford
YesLike last season, the former Stanford playmaker started for the Eagles in the season finale.
This season, he couldn’t lead the Birds to a victory over Washington, but he still stepped in and played well.
McKee threw for 241 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
writes on various topics for SuperWest sports, including statistics and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and directs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).
