Is Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp the WR1 for the Rams?

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. *All data is courtesy of Fantasy Points Data Suite*

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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 IS INSANE
pic.twitter.com/WAKAx2Ao7R

— PFF (@PFF) December 31, 2023

Kupp is no slouch himself. While 2023 was a disappointment, we are only a few years removed from Kupp’s monster 2021 season. He achieved the wide receiver triple crown that year and led the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns all en route to a dominant WR1 finish across all scoring formats.

COOPER KUPP TOUCHDOWN!!!pic.twitter.com/UegSLrXZBM

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 9, 2022

Both Kupp and Nacua are great players. Let’s dig into some data to see who really was the team’s WR1 last year:

Targets Per Route Run (TPRR)

Nacua: .29
Kupp: .26

Yards Per Route Run (YPRR)

Nacua: 2.75
Kupp: 2.08

Target Share

Nacua: 26.8%
Kupp: 23.4%

Based on this data, Nacua is the clear WR1. However, in fairness to Kupp, he was absent from the Rams' first four games. Let’s see how Nacua fared in games with and without Kupp:

Without Kupp:

TPRR: .31
YPRR: 3.03
Target Share: 29.5%

With Kupp:

TPRR: .28
YPRR: 2.61
Target Share: 25.4%

There were some differences in these splits, but overall, Nacua was still functioning as the team’s WR1 even with Kupp fully healthy.

Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?

Nacua currently has a National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) average draft position (ADP) of 10.66 overall while Kupp has an ADP of 36.89 overall. Nacua is more expensive, but it’s for good reason. He has taken over as the Rams’ WR1 and has established a strong rapport with quarterback Matthew Stafford.

It’s also important to note that there’s no reason both receivers can’t be solid options for drafters. We saw Kupp and Robert Woods work well in tandem previously in Sean McVay’s offense.

However, Kupp has struggled with injuries the last two years and is now entering his age-31 season. A third/fourth-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. On draft day, put your feet up, take Nacua as your WR1, and call it a day.

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