Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua woke the fantasy world up with his more than 1400 yards last season. With the wide receiver now on everyone’s radar, managers can expect the wide receiver to get snagged quickly. However, getting him as early as possible or thereabouts might not be the wisest move, one NFL analyst believes.
Writing for Bleacher Report, NFL analyst Gary Davenport agreed with another analyst who had written that Nacua’s numbers took a hit when Cooper Kupp was on the field last year.
“That’s a substantial decrease for a player who is essentially being drafted in the same spot he finished last season. Nacua is also already nursing a knee injury, although he’s expected to be ready for Week 1. Among the first 10 wide receivers off draft boards on average, Nacua is easily the riskiest pick,” he wrote.
With Kupp now entering into the league fully healthy, it is great news for Rams fans. However, for fantasy managers, it might make things trickier.
In theory, adding Kupp back can only open up opportunities for Nacua, who had to hold the fort down for him last year. This would be due to the reason that Kupp would take a defense’s attention away from Nacua.
Multiple factors work against Puka Nacua’s odds of similar breakout season in 2024
Defenses would need to pick their poison. While Kupp might get the early targets, Nacua might get the later ones in a single-game scenario. When one throws in a fully healthy Kyren Williams, the Rams might be unstoppable. Of course, it also might create a situation of too many mouths to feed.
With only so many passes and plays in a game, Nacua and the rest of the Rams’ offense could find themselves underwhelming managers. Additionally, if the offense is too good, it could mean that instead of needing to pass in all four quarters, the Rams might only need to pass in two or three quarters, further hampering Nacua’s opportunities.
That doesn’t even consider perhaps the most worrying thing for Nacua, which is his health. The star receiver is managing a hamstring injury which could be the most damaging factor to his production. If the injury goes the wrong way, Nacua’s production could drop to zero.
These other factors already discussed might cost Puka Nacua a few catches per game. An injury that turns into missed time could be disastrous for managers.
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