Puka Nacua drops to WR5 on Rams depth chart

On IR (toe). Fantasy football: Nacua was placed on injured reserve with MCL and PCL sprains plus turf toe and cannot return until Week 15, opening targets for…

By Fantasy Roundup Staff · November 14, 2026 · Updated November 15, 2026

Puka Nacua dropped from WR1 to WR5 on the Rams depth chart on 13th November after being placed on injured reserve with MCL and PCL sprains plus turf toe. He must miss at least four games and is ineligible to return until Week 15 against Dallas, with reports indicating a mid-December return target that could allow playoff availability.

The move ends a dominant stretch for Nacua, who posted 14 catches for 150 yards and one touchdown on 19 targets and 93 per cent of snaps for 28.0 half-PPR points in Week 9 against Washington. He averaged 21.8 half-PPR points over his last three games on 13.7 targets, 11 receptions and 99.3 receiving yards a contest with a 91 per cent snap share and 43 per cent target share. His 46 per cent target share in Week 9 and his weighted opportunity rating of 0.90 over his last three games (3rd of 189 receivers) made him the centrepiece of the Los Angeles passing attack, but that work now opens up for Tutu Atwell and CJ Daniels, who drew five and zero targets respectively in Week 9.

Fantasy impact

Player by player

Puka Nacua

Nacua's absence removes a receiver who was averaging 19.8 half-PPR points over seven games this season on 13.3 targets, 10 receptions and 102.1 receiving yards a contest with an 87 per cent snap share and 36 per cent target share. His 99 opportunity score (1st of 196 receivers) and 97 receiving score (2nd of 196 receivers) reflected elite usage, whilst his 1.29 wins above replacement (4th of 196 receivers) showed his impact. He was scoring 2.5 half-PPR points a game above what his usage predicted over his last three games (27th of 184 receivers), suggesting some touchdown or big-play luck that may not have repeated.

Nacua did not practise on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday with the knee injury and is listed on injured reserve, so he does nothing for a fantasy lineup until he is cleared. Rostered managers must bench him and hold him only if their league setup allows the roster flexibility to carry him through to a potential Week 15 return, which would provide two regular-season weeks and the playoffs. The Rams face Arizona on Sunday, 15th November at 4:05 p.m. ET, but Nacua will not be available.

What to do

• Bench Puka Nacua and hold him only if your roster allows space for a Week 15 return.

• Add Tutu Atwell or CJ Daniels in deeper leagues as the next receivers up in the Rams offence.

• Target opposing receivers against the Rams defence with Nacua's 46 per cent target share now distributed amongst lesser options.