Recreation day replace: The Rams anticipate Puka Nacua “to have the ability to attempt to play” on Sunday, per Adam Schefter.
The Los Angeles Rams offense lastly hit its stride final week with extensive receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua again within the lineup. Of their return to the offense, the extensive receiver duo mixed for 12 catches for 157 yards and a landing. Regardless of beginning the season 1-4, the Rams have since received two straight. They’ve an essential division matchup in Week 9 on the highway in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks and can hope to have each extensive receivers obtainable.
Puka Nacua damage standing
In line with The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, Nacua can be listed as questionable with a knee damage heading into Sunday. The Rams extensive receiver has been coping with a knee damage going again to the summer season. He suffered a burst bursa sac in coaching camp and re-injured it in Week 1 that put him on injured reserve. Nacua returned final week and re-aggravated the damage throughout Thursday’s observe.
The silver lining is that no structural injury was accomplished and subsequently Nacua shouldn’t miss any vital time. NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport stated on Friday,
“Puka Nacua goes to be fantastic. My understanding after speaking to a number of sources, no main damage, not a lot of a difficulty going ahead…they’re going to go away the door open for him whether it is potential.”
Nacua will doubtless be a sport time resolution and be a participant to observe on Sunday. The Rams will play the Seahawks within the later window of video games at 4:25 p.m. ET.
What Puka Nacua damage means for fantasy soccer
When Puka Nacua has been on the sphere this season, he has proven why he was a preferred second-round decide in fantasy drafts. Final week, Nacua was the WR15 as he had 18.1 PPR factors. The problem with Nacua has been accidents and being obtainable.
Because it was seen final week, if Nacua does play, it needs to be anticipated for him to get a full workload. The Rams are in a ‘now or by no means’ a part of their season. With an essential division sport in opposition to the Seahawks, they aren’t going to fiddle and have Nacua on any form of snap-count. If Nacua performs, he’s going to be a featured participant within the offense.
Nonetheless, the Rams are nonetheless going to play it good with him. Rams head coach Sean McVay stated on Friday,
“I wouldn’t guess in opposition to this man. My expectation is he’s going to do all the things in his energy to be able to roll and that’s the mindset that now we have. We’re going to be good with him, get him turned over and attempt to get that knee feeling nearly as good as potential for gameday.”
Within the case that Nacua can’t go, Kupp can be the primary beneficiary from a fantasy perspective. There’s no denying the connection that Matthew Stafford and Kupp have had over the past 4 years. Kupp is the extensive receiver that Stafford trusts probably the most, particularly if Nacua wasn’t enjoying.
Different gamers to regulate right here can be Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson. The Rams have used Whittington within the Nacua position within the offense this season. In Weeks 4 and 5, the rookie out of Texas mixed for 13 receptions for 151 yards and was the WR24 in these two weeks. Nonetheless, Whittington missed final week with a shoulder damage and is as soon as once more listed as questionable in opposition to the Seahawks.
Again in Week 2 with Nacua out of the lineup, Johnson acquired 87 % of the group’s offensive snaps. The Rams have particular roles for every extensive receiver place. If Nacua isn’t in a position to play, Whittington can be the primary participant to fit into that position with Johnson the subsequent participant on the depth chart.