With NFL training camps underway, injuries around the league have already started to pile up. Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Rams, they have been hit hard by the bug already, as standout wide receiver Puka Nacua is now injured. What happened to Nacua and is he expected to miss any time?
What Happened to Puka Nacua?
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Nacua is now considered week to week after suffering a knee injury over the weekend. The injury, however, was described as “not serious.”
Nacua left the Rams’ joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday after he got up slowly during one of the team drills. McVay said he wasn’t sure what happened following practice.
In his rookie season, Nacua played all 17 games and only left one for injury, in which he returned after halftime. He did, however, deal with multiple injuries during his time in college at both Washington and BYU. Included in that was a foot fracture in 2019, an ankle sprain in 2022, and a hamstring sprain also in 2022.
The Rams will have Monday off and will return to practice Tuesday, though it’s unknown if Nacua will participate.
He’s not the first Rams player to suffer an injury, as the team’s offensive line is being hit hard. Most recently, L.A.’s right tackle Rob Havenstein became week to week with an ankle injury. That came after Jonah Jackson and Alaric Jackson were both downgraded to week to week with a shoulder and ankle injury, respectively.
Should Fantasy Managers Be Concerned About Nacua?
Nacua is likely a major fantasy football piece this season, and PFN’s Kyle Soppe gave an analysis of just how concerned managers should be.
“The Rams are going to score — that much we know. And we also know that Matthew Stafford is going to target his WR1 at an elite rate. Nacua is labeled as L.A.’s WR1 entering this season, but a healthy Cooper Kupp makes target share a bit of a toss-up.
We saw Kupp enter last season banged up, which allowed Nacua to develop a connection with Stafford and produce superior fantasy numbers. Could the roles flip in 2024?
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It’s possible, even if this injury doesn’t result in missed time. I already have Kupp ranked ahead of Deebo Samuel and Stefon Diggs, something that goes against current ADP. Should this injury drag out, expect Kupp to threaten the top 15 at the position with Nacua sliding out of first-round consideration.
I’m not adjusting rankings just yet, but you’ll want to monitor this injury as your draft approaches.”
Will Nacua Be Ready for Week 1?
The Rams open the 2024 season on Sept. 8 on the road against the Detroit Lions. That means Nacua, at worst, will have over a month to get up to 100% health to be ready for the game.
The team’s first preseason game will be Sunday, Aug. 11, at home against the Dallas Cowboys. They’ll face the Chargers on Aug. 17 and the Texans on Aug. 24 before a bye ahead of the season opener. It’s unknown if Nacua will play in any of those games.
Rams’ Wide Receiver Depth Chart
Behind Nacua and Kupp is a lot of talent that has yet to hit another level. Demarcus Robinson is the projected starter alongside them, but Tutu Atwell is also expected to receive a large number of reps. Behind them is Tyler Johnson and Jordan Whittington filling out the team’s top six.
When he’s healthy, Kupp is one of the best receivers in the NFL. Kupp’s last full season, however, was 2021, when he caught a league-leading 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also caught 94 passes for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2019. The thing is, those are the only two full seasons he’s ever played.
Most recently, Kupp played just nine games in 2022 and 12 in 2023. He dealt with hamstring and ankle injuries in both seasons that severely impacted his ability. He also suffered knee injuries (ACL and MCL) in 2018. Simply, there’s no guarantee Kupp will play the entire season in 2024.
Robinson is going on a nine-year career in the NFL. Despite his experience, he’s never had a season with 500+ receiving yards, nor has he surpassed four touchdowns. In his one season with the Rams in 2023, he caught 26 passes for 371 yards and four touchdowns.
With Atwell, it’s more of the same with Robinson, except he’s much younger. After not playing his rookie season in 2021, Atwell has put together 57 catches for 781 yards and four touchdowns in the two seasons since. In 2023, more specifically, he got the most opportunities of his career with 14 starts and caught 39 passes for 483 yards and three scores.