Ninteen receivers were drafted before him. He was the last player taken before the start of round six. And Rams receiver Puka Nacua is now making a late run at being named the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year.
The award seemed to be locked up by Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who has been spectacular. But Stroud missed Week 15 and likely won’t play in Week 16. If his Week 14 concussion keeps him out for Week 17 and Week 18, could the door open for Nacua?
He helped his case last night against the Saints, with nine catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. Sixteen rushing yards (including an effort that secured the game-clinching first down) pushed his yards from scrimmage to 180.
Nacua now has 1,327 receiving yards, more than the 1,313 racked up by no-brainer 1998 offensive rookie of the year Randy Moss. And Nacua has two games left to add to his total.
Via Dante Koplowitz-Fleming of NFL Research, Nacua has four games with 150 or more receiving yards — that’s the most of any rookie receiver in the Super Bowl era. In that time frame, 11 have won the offensive rookie of the year.
The betting market, to the extent that matters, is noticing that Stroud’s grip is weakening, at least a little bit. He has dropped overnight at DraftKings Sportsbook from -4000 to -2500. Curiously, however, Nacua also has dipped a bit from +750 to +800. (The third player on the list is Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, at +3000, followed by Falcons running back Bijan Robinson at +5000.)
Nacua is hearing the buzz.
“I think it’s cool,” he said after the game, via comments compiled by Myles Simmons. “It’s funny when my family sends [me] stuff. But I guess it’s not my main goal. It’s been fun to be a part of every football game that we’ve been playing since we’ve been able to come back from the bye. What coach has been preaching is these games that we’re playing in December, that they’re meaningful. The playoffs have already begun for us. So to be kind of in that playoff mindset already, it’s definitely something I’m not used to — playing late in December. So, finding ways to adjust to that. But it’s been super fun.”
Asked whether Nacua has solidified his spot in the conversation, Rams coach Sean McVay praised the 177th pick in the draft.
“He’s outstanding,” McVay said, via Simmons. “I mean, I couldn’t be more grateful for the contributions. And what a freakin’ run on the jet sweep. [He made] a bunch of plays through the pass game. You guys have seen it week-in and week-out, you talk about that balance — you can’t have the balance if you don’t have receivers willing to dig out support and willing to do some of the things that he does. You see around the league [C.J.] Stroud’s had a great year, but this guy, he would get my vote. He’s really special, but the best part about him is, he doesn’t worry about those things. He worries about just being a great teammate, continuing to improve his game. And [I] sure love this team, and he’s one of those guys that you really love.”
It’s amazing that Nacua lasted as long as he did, and he has become another example of the Rams finding key contributors after the draft melts into a flurry of names of more-miss-than-hit players.
Puka is a hit. He’s a home run. As the Rams continue to push for the postseason, he could end up putting an unexpected trophy on his mantle in February.