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Los Angeles Rams sophomore wide receiver Puka Nacua was a stud, league-winning receiver last year. One of the rare players who is mostly undrafted and immediately steps into a prominent role, remaining fantasy-relevant all season and regularly putting up 15+ PPR fantasy point games, Nacua was a gem of the finest quality.
2024 couldn't have started worse for Nacua. After suffering a knee injury in training camp, Nacua only made four receptions in his first game before being carted off with an injury to the same knee. The Rams may have put him into action too early, considering he was injured so soon.
Will Nacua return to play in 2024? What's his return timetable like? Let's dive into injury updates for Nacua and his fantasy football outlook.
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Puka Nacua Injury Update for Fantasy Football
Thankfully, and unlike most players with multi-week injuries, we have an update on Nacua's situation. Both Nacua and fellow Rams WR Cooper Kupp were working on the side with trainers on Wednesday's practice. Nacua was wearing a compression sleeve on the leg he injured.
Cooper Kupp is out of the cast and Puka Nacua has a compression sleeve on his right leg but both are working with strength and conditioning/training staff to the side of today’s walkthrough.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) September 25, 2024
Unfortunately for Nacua managers, while IR players are only mandated to miss four games, Nacua will likely have a longer absence. Given the type of injury and the fact he reaggravated it so quickly, the Rams likely want to be more careful in ensuring he's healthy and can withstand NFL games when he returns.
Injuries by Fantasy Draft ADP through Week 3:
1.2: Christian McCaffrey - IR/out indefinitely
10.9: A.J. Brown - out Weeks 2/3
15.3: Puka Nacua - IR/out 5-7 weeks
19: Isiah Pacheco - IR/out 6-8 weeks
29: Deebo Samuel - out weeks
29.7: Cooper Kupp - out weeks
30.1: Sam LaPorta -…— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) September 24, 2024
Nacua managers should be prepared to be without him until Week 8, though he could return earlier.
Puka Nacua Fantasy Football Outlook
Nacua is a must-start when healthy after last season. He was still startable when Kupp came back from injury, and the Rams haven't added any significant receiving weapons. The Rams are missing Nacua and Kupp badly and are 1-2; their returns cannot come soon enough for the injury-battered team.
PUKA NACUA BREAKS A TACKLE AND GOES FOR 80 YARDSpic.twitter.com/DDOCDiWDt8
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) December 31, 2023
Nacua is the definition of a playmaker, and Rams head coach Sean McVay knows it should be a priority to get him the ball. Nacua makes ridiculous plays look easy, and despite not having blinding speed, he was regularly flying through open space and chewing up huge yardage in his rookie season.
Nacua is a WR2 with WR1 upside when healthy. A healthy Kupp likely siphons away plenty of targets, but Nacua showed that he doesn't need huge target volume to produce. He put up games of 18.70 and 23.90 PPR points on just seven targets each last year. Nacua is a big play waiting to happen.
Nacua has the trust of QB Matthew Stafford and McVay in a well-run offense with a great quarterback throwing him the ball. He should have an excellent season if he returns at full strength.
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