Puka Nacua’s rookie season was unforgettable. He set the NFL record for the most receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) by a first-year player, bursting onto the scene as a fifth-round rookie out of BYU.
His performance was a big reason the Rams managed to make the playoffs in 2023 and similarly, his absence early in the 2024 campaign directly contributed to Los Angeles’ slow start.
Since returning from a knee injury that cost him five games, Nacua has been borderline unstoppable. He has 990 yards and 79 catches in 11 games, posting five games with at least 100 yards and four games with nine-plus catches.
Everyone will remember his remarkable rookie year in 2023 but he’s actually been better this season. As Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports points out, Nacua is having one of the best seasons by a wide receiver since 2014, ranking first in successful targets per route, first in explosive receptions per route and second in first downs per route run.
This show, we had a convo about Puka Nacua’s rank among the NFL’s best WRs. Nacua has missed a few games, but he has put together an all-time receiving season.
Nacua among 2,047 pass catchers since ’14:
1st in successful targets/route
1st in explosive rec./route
2nd in 1D/route https://t.co/uOpZGNz88J— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) December 30, 2024
There are other numbers to back up the case that Nacua’s 2024 season has been better than his rookie year, too.
His success rate is 63.2% this season, up from 56.9% last year. He’s averaging 7.2 receptions per game and 90.0 yards per game, both of which are career-highs; he averaged 6.2 receptions and 87.4 yards per game in 2023. He’s caught 74.5% of his targets (65.6% in 2023), as well.
Sean McVay talked to J.B. Long on the “Coach McVay Show” about Nacua’s second season and he agrees: Puka has been better in Year 2.
He explained why, and it’s not just because his stats are improved.
“I think so. I think there’s been a consistency. I think there’s an ability to understand and impact the game,” he said. “He was tremendous last year and I think he was learning and growing. One of the things I love about him is the accountability that he always takes. I think he’s caught the ball consistently well. He’s had a lot of different targets. I think he’s made some of these incredible catches. … I think the body of work, the resume, the consistency, the understanding of how to take my game to another level. And then the attention he gets than what he got in his rookie year, and for him to still be able to produce the way that he did, to have the rapport he’s had with Matthew. It’s been special, and I definitely think he’s gotten better in Year 2. And I don’t think the stats is the best way to measure it. it’s what does the product look like snap in and snap out. What’s being asked of him? He’s been a stud.”
With Nacua healthy, the Rams are a dangerous team in the NFC. And long-term, he’s going to make them a threat to contend for a title year in and year out.