BYU players in the NFL Week 16: Chris Brooks and Zayne Anderson shine on Monday Night Football

Here’s the Week 16 summary of former BYU Cougars in the NFL. Power Rankings reflect this season's overall performance.  

No. 1 - Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

Stats: 8 receptions, 56 yards

In a 19-9 Rams slugfest of a victory, Puka had nine of his team’s meager 14 receptions and 56 of the Rams 110 receiving yards. His 86.1 receiving yards per game ranks fifth in the NFL as the second-year star puts together another Pro Bowl season. 

No. 2 - Fred Warner, LB, San Francisco 49ers

Stats: 11 tackles

While the 49ers season has been a disappointment, Warner continues to play like the All-Pro he is with 26 tackles over the last two weeks.  

No. 3 - Kyle Van Noy, LB, Baltimore Ravens

Stats: 5 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 3 QB hits, 1 fumble recovery

Wow. Just, wow. Last week I wrote extensively about the incredible resurrection of Kyle Van Noy’s career with the Ravens. With his 1.5 sacks last week he now has a career-high 10.5 on the season, joining the double-digit sacks club for the first time at age 33. His 19 quarterback hits on the year is also a career high. Just incredible. 

No. 4 - Ryan Rehkow, P, Cincinnati Bengals

Stats: 4 punts, 51.5 yards per punt average, 62 yard long

It was a great punting week for the rookie, averaging over 50 yards per punt. His 62-yard booming punt flipped field position from the Cincinnati 20 to the Cleveland 36. His net punt average of 42.8 yards ranks sixth in the NFL. 

No. 5 - Tyler Allgeier, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Stats: 11 rushes, 22 yards; 1 reception, 9 yards

The Falcons won in a 34-7 blowout so Allgeier got a lot of late carries in obvious running situations against stacked boxes, hence the 2.0 yards per carry average. On the season Tyler has rushed for 573 yards averaging 4.6 yards per carry. 

No. 6 - Chris Brooks, RB, Green Bay Packers

Stats: 6 carries, 23 yards, 1 TD; 1 reception, 2 yards

The emergence of Chris Brooks continues. The second-year running back scored his first career touchdown on Monday Night Football and earned the announcers’ praise several times throughout the broadcast for his running, blocking, and receiving. He now has 124 rushing yards on 28 carries for the season (4.4 YPC) with 11 receptions for 69 yards. 

No. 7 - Brady Christensen, OL, Carolina Panthers

Stats: Started, played 100% offensive snaps

Carolina’s starting center was a late scratch, so the versatile Brady Christensen was inserted into the starting lineup and played excellent. Behind Brady’s blocking, running back Chuba Hubbard rushed 25 times for 152 yards and two scores. Christensen has been criminally underutilized by the Panthers this year and should have been starting every week. In Week 16 he got to tangle with former BYU defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga.

No. 8 - Sione Takitaki, LB, New England Patriots

Stats: 2 tackles, 13 defensive snaps, 4 special teams snaps

Takitaki’s 2024 season took a while to get off the ground after an early-season injury, but he now has six tackles in his last two games as a key part of the Patriots rotation. 

No. 9 - Jamaal Williams, RB, New Orleans Saints

Stats: 3 carries, 8 yards; 3 kick returns, 78 yards (26.0 YPR)

Even with Alvin Kamara out due to injury, Jamaal only recorded three rushing attempts during Monday Night Football. His three kick returns kept him busy on the evening, giving him 11 returns on the season with a 26.2 YPR average. 

No. 10 - Zayne Anderson, S, Green Bay Packers

Stats: Started, 3 tackles, 2 passes defended, 1 interception

The fourth-year pro got his first career start on Monday Night Football and also recorded his first career interception. It was a banner night under the bright lights of prime time for Zayne. He now has a career-high 15 tackles on the season as the Packers have grown to trust him more and more playing in the secondary. 

No. 11 - Khyiris Tonga, DT, Arizona Cardinals

Stats: 3 tackles, 20 defensive snaps

After contributing most of the season, Tonga was a surprising inactive for the Cardinals last three games. The massive interior defensive lineman was back in the regular rotation in Week 16 playing 20 snaps and registering three more tackles, giving him 19 on the season. 

No. 12 - Michael Davis, CB, Washington Commanders

Stats: Did not play

The veteran’s impact continues to be limited to mostly special teams in Washington and he was inactive for Week 16. 

No. 13 - Kingsley Suamataia, OT, Kansas City Chiefs

Stats: 5 special teams snaps

Kingsley continues to contribute in a limited way on special teams as the rookie grows in his first NFL season. 

No. 14 - Blake Freeland, OT, Indianapolis Colts

Stats: 7 special teams snaps

Freeland continues to see a handful of special teams snaps in his second professional season. 

Has Not Played:

Jaren Hall, QB, Seattle Seahawks (signed to active roster last week!)

Zach Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos

Injured Reserve

Taysom Hill, TE/HB, New Orleans Saints

Finished the season with 39 rushes for 278 yards (7.1 YPC!) with six touchdowns. Taysom also had 23 receptions for 187 yards, completed two passes for 21 yards, returned one kick for 42 yards, and tackled a punter in the end zone for a forced fumble with a safety.

On Practice Squads: 

Dax Milne, WR, Carolina Panthers (re-signed last week)

Kedon Slovis, QB, Houston Texans

Max Tooley, LB, Minnesota Vikings

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