Puka Nacua
23-Year-Old
IR
Injury Knee - PCL
Est. Return 10/20/2024
2024 Receiving Stats
REC
4
YDS
35
TD
0
AVG
8.8
TAR
4
Rest-of-Season Projections
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Nacua came into the NFL as a fifth-round pick and had nearly as many receiving yards (1,486) in his rookie season as in all four years of his college career combined (1,749). It helped that he played all 17 games, after averaging eight between his time at Washington and BYU. It also helped to have QB Matthew Stafford and HC Sean McVay on his side, and WR Cooper Kupp's hamstring injury in September contributed to Nacua drawing 52 targets over his first four games. After that, Nacua averaged 5.2 catches for 78.7 yards on 8.6 targets in the 12 games both he and Kupp played, continuing to flirt with fantasy WR1 status. Kupp averaged 4.9 catches for 61.4 yards on 7.9 targets in those same 12 games, and it was Nacua who exploded for 9-181-1 in a wild-card loss to the Lions, setting a single-game rookie receiving record for the playoffs (after breaking the season-long record a week earlier). Nacua did most of his damage on short and intermediate passes, but he was efficient with his deep chances as well, catching 10 of 17 targets 20-plus yards downfield. He looked a step quicker than his 4.57 40 time suggests, though it was his strength, toughness and agility that really stood out while he recorded the fourth most yards after catch (689, 6.4 average) among WRs. Kupp has already shown that a receiver can post huge numbers under McVay/Stafford without top-notch athletic traits, and Nacua appears to be the new No. 1 in an efficient offense that's heavily concentrated among its star players. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Facing 5-to-7-week absence
Nacua could miss between five and seven weeks, depending on how quickly he recovers from a PCL sprain in his right knee, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.
ANALYSIS
The second-year wideout had initially hurt his right knee early in training camp and missed the entire preseason before being cleared to play Week 1, only to exit last Sunday's season-opening overtime loss to the Lions after reinjuring the same knee. The estimated 5-to-7-week recovery timeline doesn't come as a major surprise, as head coach Sean McVay suggested after Nacua was placed on injured reserve Wednesday that the receiver could miss more than the minimum four games. While the Rams have a well-timed bye Week 6 that would provide Nacua with some extra recovery time before he would first eligible to play Week 7 against the Raiders on Oct. 20, the team believes the receiver's status for that game as well as the following Thursday night versus the Vikings in Week 8 could be in jeopardy. For whatever length of time Nacua misses, Cooper Kupp will likely dominate the targets in the passing game as the Rams' clear No. 1 option, while tight end Colby Parkinson and receivers Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson could be in store for expanded profiles on offense.
The second-year wideout had initially hurt his right knee early in training camp and missed the entire preseason before being cleared to play Week 1, only to exit last Sunday's season-opening overtime loss to the Lions after reinjuring the same knee. The estimated 5-to-7-week recovery timeline doesn't come as a major surprise, as head coach Sean McVay suggested after Nacua was placed on injured reserve Wednesday that the receiver could miss more than the minimum four games. While the Rams have a well-timed bye Week 6 that would provide Nacua with some extra recovery time before he would first eligible to play Week 7 against the Raiders on Oct. 20, the team believes the receiver's status for that game as well as the following Thursday night versus the Vikings in Week 8 could be in jeopardy. For whatever length of time Nacua misses, Cooper Kupp will likely dominate the targets in the passing game as the Rams' clear No. 1 option, while tight end Colby Parkinson and receivers Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson could be in store for expanded profiles on offense.
NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Puka Nacua's 2024 advanced stats compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank.
The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
Air Yards Per Game
16.0Air Yards Per Snap
0.67% Team Air Yards
3.8%% Team Targets
5.3%Avg Depth of Target
4.0 YdsCatch Rate
100.0%Drop Rate
0.0%Avg Yds After Catch
4.8% Targeted On Route
26.7%Avg Yds Per Route Run
2.33Loading Advanced NFL Stats...
2024
2023
2024 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Puka Nacua lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
Detailed
Grouped
Side
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This Week's Opposing Pass Defense
How does the 49ers pass defense compare to other NFL teams this season?
The bars represents the team's percentile rank (based on QB Rating Against). The longer the bar, the better their pass defense is. The team and position group ratings only include players that are currently on the roster and not on injured reserve. The list of players in the table only includes defenders with at least 3 attempts against them.
vs 49ers
Sunday, Sep 22nd at 4:25PM
Overall QB Rating Against
92.6
Cornerbacks
83.9
Safeties
149.3
Linebackers
39.4
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2024 Puka Nacua Split Stats
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Measurables Review
View College Player Page
How do Puka Nacua's measurables compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
* All metrics are from his Pro Day (not the combine).
Height
6' 2"Weight
212 lbs40-Yard Dash
4.56 secShuttle Time
4.36 secCone Drill
7.32 secVertical Jump
33.0 inBroad Jump
121 inBench Press
15 repsHand Length
9.62 inArm Length
32.00 in
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2023 Fantasy Outlook
The fifth-rounder out of BYU didn't post earth-shattering numbers in college, but his versatility as both a receiver and a rushing option (25-209-5 rushing line as a senior) along with good height and size makes Nacua a flexible option for new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Nacua has worked his way into the competition for the No. 3 wide receiver role, and should find a few targets behind Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson in a weak Rams offense.
More Fantasy News
May miss more than four games
Rams head coach Sean McVay said Wednesday that Nacua (knee) has a "unique" injury that may require him to miss more than the required four games while on injured reserve, Adam Grosbard of The Orange County Register reports.
ANALYSIS
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Moves to IR
The Rams placed Nacua (knee) on injured reserve Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
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Headed to IR
The Rams are expected to place Nacua (knee) on injured reserve during the upcoming week, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
ANALYSIS
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Could land on IR
Rams head coach Sean McVay said Monday that Nacua (knee) is a candidate to be placed on injured reserve, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Week-to-week, needs more tests
Nacua (knee) is considered week-to-week Monday after aggravating the right knee injury he dealt with during the preseason in Sunday's 26-20 overtime loss to the Lions, and he's scheduled to undergo further testing, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Might only miss minimum time
Nacau will be placed on IR after suffering a knee injury in Sunday's loss to the Lions, but he may miss only the minimum four games, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
ANALYSIS
The Rams have a Week 6 bye, so the timing works out for Nacua as he will get an extra week to recover regardless. The second-year wideout left Sunday's loss in the second quarter, finishing the contest with four catches on four targets for 35 yards. Tyler Johnson, who caught five of seven targets for 79 yards in Week 1, appears to be the favorite to step into Nacua's starting role while he's sidelined.
The Rams have a Week 6 bye, so the timing works out for Nacua as he will get an extra week to recover regardless. The second-year wideout left Sunday's loss in the second quarter, finishing the contest with four catches on four targets for 35 yards. Tyler Johnson, who caught five of seven targets for 79 yards in Week 1, appears to be the favorite to step into Nacua's starting role while he's sidelined.