Puka Nacua DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua said he has already learned a lot from veteran wideout Davante Adams. Since gaining knowledge from the 11-year NFL veteran, Nacua's route-running has looked sharper in practice, according to offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. It appears Nacua is using more of the "elusive" methods off the line of scrimmage instead of the brute force he often applies at the start of his routes. The 24-year-old is already one of the best wideouts in the NFL after ranking in the top 10 in yards per route run against man coverage (seventh) and zone coverage (first), but the former fifth-rounder in 2023 could become even more deadly if he adds some finesse to his physical style of play. Nacua set the rookie receiving record in 2023 and was more efficient in 2024 despite not reaching 1,000 yards due to a knee injury. Injuries could be an issue, but Nacua is a high-end WR1 otherwise.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua said on the "Join The Lobby" podcast that he would like to retire from the NFL at the age of 30. It would mean that the 23-year-old (24 in May) pass-catcher would have six or seven more years of football left in him. After being selected in the fifth round (177th overall) in 2023, Nacua has been lights-out his first two professional seasons with a combined 184 catches on 266 targets for 2,476 yards and nine touchdowns in 28 regular-season starts. Barring an injury, he should be an elite receiver in the NFL for years to come, especially now that Cooper Kupp is no longer in L.A. Nacua did miss five games in the first half of the 2025 campaign due to a knee injury, but on a per-game basis, he was even more productive for fantasy managers. Even with Davante Adams essentially replacing Kupp, Nacua should be a target hog and a strong WR1 target in fantasy drafts.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was heavily involved in the Rams' 28-22 loss to the Eagles. He was targeted a team-high 14 times and finished with six catches for 97 yards, including an acrobatic, sliding catch in the snow that will be part of his highlight reel for seasons to come. That catch kept the Rams potential game-winning drive alive, but they came up short in the red zone with under one minute left. Nacua established himself as one of the best fantasy receivers in the game after returning from his early season knee injury. He clearly became the go-to option in the Rams passing game and will be one of the top fantasy receivers going into next season.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is the clear focus of the Rams' passing game and was targeted nine times on Monday Night Football when his Rams knocked off the Vikings 27-9. He has at least eight targets in each of his last nine games, and the only games this season in which he was targeted less was when he left early due to injury or ejection. Last week, he only had five catches for 44 yards, which was his lowest total for any full game this season. However, his high volume and big-play ability keep him a strong fantasy option against Philadelphia in the Divisional Round. He had nine catches on 13 targets for 117 yards against the Eagles in the regular season, and he'll likely have a good opportunity to post similar totals this week as long as the weather isn't too much of a factor. However, even if conditions are difficult, head coach Sean McVay will be able to find ways to get the ball into his hands since he's one of the team's top playmakers.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua caught five of his nine targets for 44 yards during Monday's Wild Card win over the Minnesota Vikings. He also added a seven-yard rush. Nacua did lead the team in targets and tied for the most receptions, but his production was somewhat modest relative to some of his recent games. For context, he hadn't finished with fewer than 50 receiving yards in a single game since Week 9. Amidst his slightly less explosive showing on Monday night, Nacua still managed to show that he is Matthew Stafford's preferred option in the passing game. Not only did he fetch a team-most nine targets, but he was also far more involved than Cooper Kupp, who once again struggled to the tune of one catch for 29 yards through the air. Moving forward, Nacua is the top fantasy option in Los Angeles and an intriguing play ahead of next week's battle with the Philadelphia Eagles.