Photo by: Dakota Moyer/Rutgers Athletics
Duff Jr. Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week
Oct 19 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. ā Following a two-touchdown performance in the win at Maryland, Rutgers football WR KJ Duff is the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. The New York native matched his career high with nine receptions in totaling 113 receiving yards in the road victory.
Duff Jr., selected to the Associated Press Midseason All-America Second Team last week and an All-Big Ten Second Team selection in 2025, earns his first career weekly honor from the Big Ten. It marks the first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the Scarlet Knights since Kyle Monangai collected the award Sept. 9, 2024. Duff Jr. becomes the first RU wide receiver to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week since joining the conference.
Duff Jr. has scored a receiving touchdown in 5-of-6 games so far in 2026 with nine overall, one shy of tying Leonte Carroo (2014 & 2015), Brandon Coleman (2012) and Marco Battaglia (1995) for the school record for most receiving touchdowns in a season. He recently had a streak of five consecutive games dating back to last season with a receiving touchdown, a program record.
The first score against the Terrapins, a 15-yard one-handed grab tapping a foot down before falling out of bounds, was confirmed by video review and selected as the No. 1 play of the day by SportsCenter. He later brought down another score in the opposite end zone from nine yards away on third down. Five other receptions in the game went for a first down, as the nine catches match Duff Jr.'s career high for the third time.
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The 113 receiving yards marked Duff Jr.'s fourth game of the season in triple figures and seventh for his career.
For the season, Duff Jr., a team captain, ranks third nationally with nine receiving touchdowns, fifth with 123.5 receiving yards per game and 11th with seven receptions per game. He has totaled 42 receptions for 741 receiving yards overall. After leading the nation with 22 contested catches last season, Duff Jr. again is first with 13 contested catches so far in 2026 (Pro Football Focus).
Duff Jr. has 129 receptions for 2,250 yards and 17 touchdowns in 31 career games for Rutgers. He ranks tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns and seventh in receiving yards in the program record book. That includes multiple catches in 25 consecutive games and 13 outings with five or more receptions.
The Scarlet Knights are back in action Saturday at Northwestern. Kickoff is set for noon ET/11 a.m. local on Peacock.
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Duff Jr., selected to the Associated Press Midseason All-America Second Team last week and an All-Big Ten Second Team selection in 2025, earns his first career weekly honor from the Big Ten. It marks the first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the Scarlet Knights since Kyle Monangai collected the award Sept. 9, 2024. Duff Jr. becomes the first RU wide receiver to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week since joining the conference.
Duff Jr. has scored a receiving touchdown in 5-of-6 games so far in 2026 with nine overall, one shy of tying Leonte Carroo (2014 & 2015), Brandon Coleman (2012) and Marco Battaglia (1995) for the school record for most receiving touchdowns in a season. He recently had a streak of five consecutive games dating back to last season with a receiving touchdown, a program record.
The first score against the Terrapins, a 15-yard one-handed grab tapping a foot down before falling out of bounds, was confirmed by video review and selected as the No. 1 play of the day by SportsCenter. He later brought down another score in the opposite end zone from nine yards away on third down. Five other receptions in the game went for a first down, as the nine catches match Duff Jr.'s career high for the third time.
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KJ DUFF DOES IT AGAIN š¤Æ šŗ @BigTenNetwork https://t.co/UiYHH1T6Nb
ā Rutgers Football šŖ (@RFootball) October 17, 2026
The 113 receiving yards marked Duff Jr.'s fourth game of the season in triple figures and seventh for his career.
For the season, Duff Jr., a team captain, ranks third nationally with nine receiving touchdowns, fifth with 123.5 receiving yards per game and 11th with seven receptions per game. He has totaled 42 receptions for 741 receiving yards overall. After leading the nation with 22 contested catches last season, Duff Jr. again is first with 13 contested catches so far in 2026 (Pro Football Focus).
Duff Jr. has 129 receptions for 2,250 yards and 17 touchdowns in 31 career games for Rutgers. He ranks tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns and seventh in receiving yards in the program record book. That includes multiple catches in 25 consecutive games and 13 outings with five or more receptions.
The Scarlet Knights are back in action Saturday at Northwestern. Kickoff is set for noon ET/11 a.m. local on Peacock.
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
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