Fantasy Football Fallout of Puka Nacua's Knee Injury

The Los Angeles Rams were defeated by the Detroit Lions in overtime on Sunday night, and to make matters worse, Puka Nacua exited the game in the first half. Nacua dealt with a knee ailment throughout training camp, and the second-year wideout left the Rams' season opener due to a knee injury.

The injury occurred when Nacua made a reception in the second quarter and his knee hit the turf. While Nacua went to the blue medical tent to get checked out and he made an attempt to come back into the game, he was carted off at halftime before being ruled out.

With Nacua potentially missing extended time, it's worth talking about how his injury alters his fantasy football outlook in addition to how Cooper Kupp and the other pass-catchers on the Rams are affected by Nacua's knee issue.

Puka Nacua Injury Implications

According to FantasyPros' consensus average draft position (ADP), Nacua had an ADP of 14.7 (WR8) in half-PPR formats. Therefore, the majority of people selecting him either took him to be their WR1 or WR2 around the Round 1/Round 2 turn.

Nacua was coming off a historic rookie campaign in 2023 in which he emerged as the go-to target for Matthew Stafford, posting 105 receptions, 1,486 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns en route to a WR4 finish in fantasy. There was reason for optimism surrounding Nacua this year -- even with Kupp being healthy entering the 2024 season -- but his knee injury during training camp put a dent in that optimism.

All reports suggested Nacua practiced fully leading up to the matchup versus the Lions in Week 1 as he missed weeks to recover. But an early-game injury in Week 1 to potentially the same knee could cause problems for the Rams and everyone who took Nacua early in fantasy drafts.

It has yet to be revealed if Nacua is going to be forced to miss any time, but even if he suits up in Week 2, it's tough to trust him until he's fully recovered. At the moment, everyone who has Nacua on their fantasy team should begin finding alternative options ahead of Week 2 -- and potentially beyond.

Cooper Kupp Fantasy Outlook

Cooper Kupp was already one of my favorite selections in fantasy football this season, but the veteran wideout proved why on Sunday night against the Lions. Despite the Rams falling in overtime, Kupp led the team in target share (43.8%) and air yards share (53.3%) while posting a formidable 2.20 yards per route run, via NextGenStats.

Kupp was consistently in motion throughout Los Angeles' Week 1 defeat, allowing him to see free releases on plenty of plays in Sean McVay's offense. Once Nacua exited the contest, Kupp understandably became the focal point of the Rams' passing game, and he was plenty effective with 14 catches, 110 receiving yards, and 1 touchdown.

While it's unrealistic to expect Kupp to garner a target share north of 40% each week, he'll likely handle a massive workload until Nacua is able to return. Even when Nacua is back in the mix, Kupp looks primed for a major bounce-back season after injuries have hindered him in recent years.

Kupp will get to face the Arizona Cardinals -- who just allowed the second-highest catch rate over expected (+15.6%) and fourth-most yards per route run (2.24) to WRs in Week 1 -- on Sunday.

Rams' Other Pass-Catchers Without Nacua

When Nacua exited Sunday's matchup, the Rams deployed a handful of receivers. That being said, it was Tyler Johnson who made the most of his opportunities by earning a 14.6% target share and 2.32 yards per route as he finished with 79 yards on 5 receptions.

Demarcus Robinson tied Johnson with a 14.6% target share, hauling in 4 passes for 42 yards to finish with just a 0.89 yards per route run. Rookie Jordan Whittington saw minimal usage in his debut, but he did have a touchdown called back due to penalty, and he put together an impressive preseason for the Rams.

Colby Parkinson led all TEs on the Rams in snap rate (87.8%) and route rate (80.4%) in Week 1 as he tallied 47 yards on 4 catches. Comparatively, second-year tight end Davis Allen had just a 9.5% snap rate and 7.8% route rate while dropping his lone target in the contest.

Of the pass-catchers not named Kupp, Johnson appears to be the one who could replace Nacua if the star WR is forced to be sidelined. At the same time, I wouldn't rule out the idea that Whittington could begin to see more snaps -- especially if it's an extended absence for Puka -- as he played the Nacua/Kupp role during preseason.

So, taking everything into account, Johnson and Parkinson could see expanded roles if Nacua is ruled out, and Whittington is someone to keep an eye on in deeper leagues. On top of that, Kupp's usage and production could be astronomical until his running mate is healthy again.

Gear up for NFL season! Customers who bet $5 will get a free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube & YouTube TV! This promo expires September 22nd. See here for full terms and conditions.

Looking for the latest NFL odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the NFL betting options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.