Three Oregon Ducks Receivers Who Must Step Up Amid Evan Stewart's Injury

As if being without star quarterback Dante Moore wasn’t enough, Oregon (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) will likely be without leading wide receiver Evan Stewart when the Ducks play host to Nebraska (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) Saturday night at Autzen Stadium.

Oregon officially downgraded Stewart to doubtful with an undisclosed injury on Thursday's Big Ten availability report. Stewart leads the Ducks with 27 receptions and 352 yards, and is tied with wide receiver Dakorien Moore with a team-high four touchdowns.

oregon ducks wide receiver evan stewart dakorien moore jordon davison jamari johnson dan lanning nebraska cornhuskers big ten — Sept. 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart shakes off a Boise State Broncos defender at Autzen Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The likely absence of the fifth-year senior, who missed all of 2025 with a torn patellar tendon, would be particularly jarring for an already struggling offense that will line up against the Cornhuskers in a pivotal Big Ten battle without Moore or wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan, who is out for an extended period with a broken foot.

The depth of coach Dan Lanning’s roster will be tested on Saturday. Here are three Ducks who must step up if Stewart cannot dress against Nebraska.

Jamari Johnson, Tight End

Tight end Jamari Johnson is arguably the most dynamic pass-catcher on the Oregon offense. The senior is third on the team in receiving with 12 catches for 189 yards in just three games.

He posted a career-high 119 yards against USC, including three receptions of 15-plus yards, becoming the Ducks’ first tight end since 2019 with a 100-yard game and earning the John Mackey Award National Player of the Week honors.

The Louisville transfer, however, followed that up with just one reception for 13 yards against UCLA and has not found the end zone since Week 1 against Boise State.

Johnson’s season has been a bit of a rollercoaster, sitting out two contests with an undisclosed injury. With either quarterback Dylan Raiola or Brock Thomas getting the starting nod under center, Oregon needs a consistent, if not dominant, performance from one of its most dangerous offensive weapons.

Dakorien Moore, Wide Receiver

It’s tough to ask wide receiver Dakorien Moore to step up more than he already has. Through five games, Moore has 18 catches for 311 yards, averaging 17.3 yards per reception, to go along with his four touchdowns.

Yet here we are with Oregon needing a big game from a playmaker as the injuries begin to stack up. He can start against Nebraska by recording the first 100-yard receiving game of his career, eclipsing his previous high of 94 yards against Boise State.

“I’m very blessed to be able to be one of those players that he highlighted for future opportunities to be able to get the ball,” Moore said of Lanning, “so I’m looking forward to it.”

Moore is a home run threat every time the ball is in his vicinity and the Cornhusker defense, while stout, is susceptible to giving up big plays. The sophomore and the Ducks need to take advantage of any lapses and make them count for large gains, despite the fact that he’ll likely draw additional attention without Stewart lining up opposite him.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule acknowledged his squad has been vulnerable to surrendering big yardage gains.

“We’ve given up explosive passes and they have explosive pass-receivers,” Rhule said of Oregon, singling out Moore in particular. “We have to defend them more than anything else.”

Jordon Davison, Running Back

If any unit needs a 100-yard performance, it’s the Ducks’ running back corps.

Oregon hasn’t produced a 100-yard rushing effort since running back Noah Whittington posted 104 yards against USC in Week 12 of the 2025 season.

Ducks running back Jordon Davison is among those in dire need of a breakout game.

Davison leads the team in rushing with 301 yards for a Ducks rushing attack that ranks No. 89 in the FBS at 141.9 yards per contest. But neither the sophomore nor backfield mate in running back Dierre Hill Jr. have busted out in a game so far this season.

Davison topped out at 90 yards against Boise State this year and has a pair of 100-yard games, while Hill Jr. has never reached the century mark, coming closest with 93 yards against Northwestern in 2025.

Davison has proved valuable at the goal line, punching in a team-best six touchdowns. But he’s up against a Cornhuskers defense that ranks No. 17 nationally, holding opponents to 94.7 yards per game.

Last week, that same defense held Indiana’s No. 19-ranked rushing attack (221.3 yards per game) to just 65 yards on the ground. Davison’s first 100-yard game since Week 9 of 2025 versus Wisconsin would go a long way towards relieving the pressure put on either Raiola or Thomas.

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