RADIO
Entering the 2023 season, Cooper Kupp had long been entrenched as the Rams WR1. That all started to change when rookie Puka Nacua stepped onto the field last year and caught 10 receptions for 119 yards in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Nacua appeared to establish himself as the new alpha receiver in Los Angeles’ offense, but Kupp is still in the mix. He enters the 2024 season fully healthy and is looking to reestablish himself as the top dog in this high-powered attack.
So, which receiver should fantasy football players target this year? Let’s take a few minutes and discuss.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
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- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Who is the Los Angeles Rams WR1?
Nacua burst onto the scene as a rookie. It was a historic 2023, as he set the NFL record for receptions and receiving yards in a rookie season.
Puka Nacua with the game winner! His first NFL touchdown comes at the perfect time!
Nacua finished with 9 catches for 163 yards and the TD!#BYUFOOTBALL | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/LlYNrAWOX4
— Cougs in the Pros 🤙🏼 (@BYUpros) October 1, 2023
Kupp is coming off a poor 2023 season where he once again struggled with injuries. After missing eight games in 2022, Kupp would miss four games in 2023 due to a hamstring injury.
Per Fantasy Points Data Suite, Nacua finished with a higher target share, targets per route run, and yards per route run than Kupp last year. This suggests that Kupp is no longer the focal point of the offense.
Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?
After a historic rookie season, Nacua is the preferred pick among fantasy gamers. He has a Yahoo Sports ADP of 15.1 overall while Kupp’s ADP is 32.8. Nacua is the more expensive pick, but it’s for good reason. He has taken over as the Rams WR1 and has established a strong rapport with quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Kupp has struggled with injuries the last two years and is now entering his age-31 season. A third-round price tag for someone with Kupp’s upside might seem appealing, but the fact is he’s no longer the top dog in this attack and durability is becoming a problem. My RotoBaller colleague Kevin Tompkins summarized things very well on X:
How thin is the bet for Cooper Kupp in 2024?
There are just 40 players age 31 or older who have run 350 routes since 2017. Of those:
- Only 15 have played a full season
- Only 15 have 100+ targets
- Only 4 have put up 2.00+ YPRR
- Only 2 seasons would have been a WR1 in 2023 https://t.co/hknyLfiJ36— Kevin Tompkins (@ktompkinsii) August 26, 2024
On draft day, put your feet up, take Nacua as your WR1, and call it a day.
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