An early surprise candidate for offensive rookie of the year has emerged in a big way down in Los Angeles. This Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers the Rams’ rookie receiver Puka Nacua shattered the record for receptions through the first two games by a rookie with 20 (so far).
Nacua has been a pleasant surprise for a Los Angeles team that had to stress the temporary loss of one of the best receivers in the league in Cooper Kupp. Nacua has filled in as the top receiver for quarterback Matthew Stafford and was able to break a record that was previously held by Earl Cooper back in 1980.
What a grab by Puka Nacua 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WDzJL3kTNg
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 17, 2023
It is safe to say that just about no one in the league had the fifth-round rookie breaking a record that stood for over two decades, but Nacua has been truly dominant in his premiere. It’s unlikely he is going to slow down, and could break his own record on the afternoon, and will continue to get plenty of work throughout the season as a reliable weapon in this Sean McVay offense. How will the rest of the NFL handle this offense once Cooper Kupp comes back? This Los Angeles offense was clearly slept on and now the league has been put on notice.
