The Los Angeles Rams get back to full strength in their wide receiver room this week as Cooper Kupp returns from injury in Week 5. He will join rookie sensation Puka Nacua to make a potentially explosive duo for QB Matthew Stafford. However, for fantasy football managers, this provides the ultimate headache.
Can Kupp come straight back in and contribute, and will his presence take away from the amazing start we have seen from Nacua in 2023?
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Cooper Kupp’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
It seems crazy to be questioning whether Kupp is a starting option for fantasy in Week 5, but any player returning from an extended injury has these concerns. That concern is heightened when the injury is a soft tissue injury like a hamstring.
A soft tissue injury often means we have to see a ramp-up period from the player before he is a full go. However, Kupp belies some of those concerns after practicing in full to round out the week.
There are no expected limitations on Rams’ WR Cooper Kupp, who will make his season debut today vs. the Eagles after spending the first four weeks on injured reserve due to a calf injury, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 8, 2023
The news that Kupp is expected to carry no limitations is hugely promising. We are talking about a receiver who has averaged over 11 targets and 100 yards per game in the last two seasons. Additionally, Kupp has found the end zone 23 times in 26 games across those two years.
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Assuming he is going to be on the field for the majority of snaps this week, he should be in line for at least 8-10 targets.
Puka Nacua’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
In Kupp’s absence, Nacua has been the Rams’ hero from a receiving perspective. The rookie has a league-leading 39 receptions in the first four games this year. He has been averaging 13 targets and 125.25 receiving yards per game. In the first two games this year, Nacua totaled 35 targets, 25 receptions, and 266 yards. The usage slowed a little in the last two games (17 targets and 14 receptions), but the yards remained (235).
The concern is that with Kupp back, the usage could drop further. It will be extremely hard for Nacua to average 125 yards per game if his usage drops to five targets per game. However, it is reasonable to expect that Kupp’s arrival will simply take from the other Rams receivers rather than from Nacua. There is every chance the rookie still sees 6-8 targets this week — if not more.
Which of the Los Angeles Rams’ WRs Should You Start?
This week, there is a real chance you can start Kupp and Nacua. Other than Tyler Higbee, the Rams do not have other wide receivers that should take away from the usage of Kupp or Nacua. Tutu Atwell plays a role, but he should not be a high-usage option. In a potential shootout with the Eagles, Stafford could easily throw the ball 40+ times this week.
Both Nacua and Kupp are brilliant with the ball in their hands. With the Eagles’ superb defensive line, we could see a lot of short passes this week. That has the potential for both to be PPR monsters, even if they struggle a little more in non-PPR formats.
In PFN’s Consensus Fantasy Rankings for Week 5, Kupp is the WR12, and Nacua is the WR15. Both take a slight downgrade in half and non-PPR format, but they remain very much in line as starting options this week.
In PFN’s Start/Sit Lineup Optimizer, Nacua is projected to score 13.5 fantasy points in PPR scoring, while Kupp sits slightly higher at 14.7. Both will be startable options unless you are absolutely loaded at RB and WR. There is a realistic path to both of these Rams WRs being regular fantasy stars this year. They will likely eat into other’s ceilings, but the floor should be there.