Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has been a fantasy revelation and a waiver wire darling so far this season. However, fantasy football managers are concerned about Nacua’s injury status heading into Week 9. Nacua is currently listed as questionable. And, with several top wide receivers on bye this week, fantasy managers need to know if they can put Nacua in their lineups.
Is Nacua playing today? If he is, what is his current injury status? Also, what is his fantasy outlook for today should he be able to play?
Editor’s Note: Puka Nacua is active for the Rams in Week 9.
Is Puka Nacua Going To Play Week 9?
Nacua has been dealing with a knee injury all week. He appeared on the injury report on Wednesday and has remained there all week. However, the optimism for fantasy managers is that Nacua practiced in every session Wednesday through Friday, albeit, in a limited capacity.
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However, Adam Schefter of ESPN posted on X this morning an update on Nacua’s status. It read, “Rams’ Puka Nacua, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a knee injury, is expected to play vs. the Packers, per source.”
Therefore, fantasy managers can feel comfortable in the fact that Nacua will play today. However, what is his fantasy outlook for a matchup against the Green Bay Packers?
What Is Nacua’s Potential Fantasy Outlook for Today?
Nacua is coming into this matchup today with the Packers as the WR4 in fantasy football. What he has done this season has been nothing short of incredible.
Despite Cooper Kupp returning, Nacua is still putting up significant weeks, except for games where he gets banged up and injured.
However, today’s matchup against the Packers will be a little tricky. The Packers are currently 23rd in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers. The Packers are only conceding 26 fantasy points per game to fantasy wide receivers so far this season.
Despite that, Nacua does have a good one-on-one matchup this week. He will be covered mostly by Jaire Alexander. And, while Alexander is viewed as one of the top corners in the NFL by some, he is giving up a reasonable amount of fantasy points this season.
Alexander is currently, according to the FantasyPoints Data Suite, giving up 0.30 fantasy points per route run against him so far this season. Nacua is averaging 0.54 fantasy points per route run, and there is nothing in this matchup that makes me think we won’t be too far below that in this game.
Of wide receivers who have run over 70% of routes for the season, Nacua is 12th in fantasy points per route run earned.
According to PFN’s Consensus Rankings, Nacua is currently ranked as the WR21 for Week 9. That still makes him start-worthy in all formats. I have him ever so slightly higher in my personal rankings (at WR19) as I think he has the best matchup of all the Rams’ wide receivers. However, the outcome will also depend on who is throwing the ball to him.
It appears quarterback Matthew Stafford will not play this week. That will mean a dip in production for Nacua. Also, the Packers give up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. That means you could see more of a rushing-game script from the Rams this afternoon.
However, Nacua should see a good share of targets and will be a volume-based WR2 in Week 9. Fantasy managers can feel confident enough to start him due to the personal matchup Nacua has, as well as the desire McVay will have to get the ball down the field and get ahead early against the Packers.
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