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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Facing 5-to-7-week absence
Puka Nacua could miss between five and seven weeks, depending on how quickly he recovers from a PCL sprain in his right knee, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.The second-year wideout had initially hurt his right knee early in training camp and missed the entire preseason before being cleared to play Week 1, only to exit last Sunday's season-opening overtime loss to the Lions after reinjuring the same knee. The estimated 5-to-7-week recovery timeline doesn't come as a major surprise, as head coach Sean McVay suggested after Nacua was placed on injured reserve Wednesday that the receiver could miss more than the minimum four games. While the Los Angeles Rams have a well-timed bye Week 6 that would provide Nacua with some extra recovery time before he would first eligible to play Week 7 against the Raiders on Oct. 20, the team believes the receiver's status for that game as well as the following Thursday night versus the Vikings in Week 8 could be in jeopardy. For whatever length of time Nacua misses, Cooper Kupp will likely dominate the targets in the passing game as the Rams' clear No. 1 option, while tight end Colby Parkinson and receivers Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson could be in store for expanded profiles on offense.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: May miss more than four games
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said Wednesday that Puka Nacua (knee) has a "unique" injury that may require him to miss more than the required four games while on injured reserve, Adam Grosbard of The Orange County Register reports.The Rams conveniently have a Week 6 bye that affords Nacua and other teammates on IR some extra recovery time before a potential return Week 7 against the Raiders, but McVay's comments suggest that the second-year receiver is no lock to be ready for activation when first eligible. The team officially placed Nacua on IR on Wednesday due to a PCL sprain in his right knee that he suffered in Sunday's season-opening loss to Detroit, which was an aggravation of the bursa sac issue that he sustained Aug. 4. As long as Nacua is sidelined, Cooper Kupp will be the Rams' clear top wide receiver, with Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson the next players up at the position.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Moves to IR
The Los Angeles Rams placed Puka Nacua (knee) on injured reserve Wedensday.As expected, Nacua will now miss at least the Rams' next four games after landing on IR. In his absence, fellow wideout Cooper Kupp should be locked in as the clear-cut top target for quarterback Matt Stafford, while wideouts Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson and tight end Colby Parkinson are candidates to see expanded roles in the passing offense.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Headed to IR
The Los Angeles Rams are expected to place Puka Nacua (knee) on injured reserve during the upcoming week, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, head coach Sean McVay clarified his earlier comments from Monday and confirmed that Nacua is indeed headed for IR. In that context, the wideout will be eligible to return to action as soon as Oct. 20 against the Raiders. In Nacua's looming absence, Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington are candidates to see added work behind top wideout Cooper Kupp.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Could land on IR
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said Monday that Puka Nacua (knee) is a candidate to be placed on injured reserve, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.Nacua is dealing with a PCL sprain of his right knee, per Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. If Nacua ends up being placed on IR, he would be forced to miss at least four games. In that scenario, Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson would be candidates to see extra reps in three-receiver sets alongside Cooper Kupp.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Week-to-week, needs more tests
Puka Nacua (knee) is considered week-to-week Monday after aggravating the right knee injury he dealt with during the preseason in Sunday's 26-20 overtime loss to the Lions, and he's scheduled to undergo further testing, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.Nacua seems likely to miss at least the Los Angeles Rams' road matchup against Arizona in Week 2 as he works to recover from his aggravated knee injury, though the second-year pro may not receive a clear recovery timetable until after the conclusion of his remaining medical tests. Head coach Sean McVay previously called the injury that sidelined Nacua in training camp a bursa sac issue. As long as Nacua remains sidelined, Cooper Kupp will stand to benefit from increased target volume as the definitive No. 1 target for quarterback Matthew Stafford, while Demarcus Robinson will figure to step up as the No. 2 WR. Tyler Johnson could step into the No. 3 spot after he played 66 percent of offensive snaps Sunday against Detroit.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Slated for testing on knee
Puka Nacua is scheduled to undergo testing Monday after he exited Sunday's 26-20 overtime loss to the Lions with a right knee injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.The wideout caught four passes (on seven targets) for 35 yards and added seven yards on one carry before he landed hard on his knee following a second-quarter reception and left the game. After getting evaluated on the sideline, Nacua checked back in for a few plays but eventually headed back to the bench and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. The upcoming tests should shed more light on the nature of his injury, but Nacua's issue is with the same knee that bothered him in training camp and the preseason, when he was held out of practices for much of August due to what head coach Sean McVay labeled as a bursa sac issue. The Los Angeles Rams are back in action Sunday in Arizona, and a potential Nacua absence would likely mean more volume for Cooper Kupp as the clear No. 1 wideout. Demarcus Robinson, who caught four passes (on seven targets) for 42 yards against the Lions, would likely take on a bigger role as well, while Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington also could get additional opportunities.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Won't return against Lions
Puka Nacua (knee) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Lions.Nacua briefly came back into the game after being ruled questionable to return in the first half, but he promptly exited again and needed a cart to get to the locker room at halftime. Having been ruled out for the second half of the season opener, Nacua's next chance to take the field will be next Sunday in Arizona.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Questionable to return due to knee
Puka Nacua (knee) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Lions.Nacua got hurt in the first half after catching all four of his targets for 35 yards and adding a seven-yard rush. It's unclear if this knee injury is related to the bursa sac issue in his knee that bothered Nacua throughout August but didn't affect his preparation during the week leading up to Sunday's regular-season opener. Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Nacua came back in for a play after the initial questionable designation but then limped to the sideline.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Rams' Puka Nacua: Clear of knee injury
Puka Nacua (knee) was a full practice participant Wednesday, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.Nacua has been tending to a bursa sac issue in his knee since Aug. 4, when he initially suffered the injury. Last Thursday, head coach Sean McVay told Stu Jackson of the Los Angeles Rams' official site that Nacua logged every practice rep, and the team officially cleared him Wednesday with his listing on its first injury report of the season. With his health not in question for Sunday's game in Detroit, Nacua will seek to build on a promising rookie season in which he produced a 105-1,486-6 receiving line on 160 targets in 17 games.
