LA Rams rookie WR Puka Nacua wins 2nd NFL Rookie of the Week honors

When the LA Rams drafted BYU wide receiver Puka Nacua with the 177th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Rams were a natural fit for the rookie wide receiver. But he was chosen by the 42nd pick of Round 5, More than 20 rookies who played the wide receiver position were selected long before Puka Nacua ever heard his name. His fit in this LA Rams offense was blatantly obvious as soon as he was selected by the Rams. Here is what we had to say about his role for the Rams in our initial feature article:

"If you like a dependable and hard-working skill player on the offense, then you can sit back and enjoy what Puka Nacua brings to this LA Rams roster. He is quite similar to Rams WR Cooper Kupp in that he is not viewed as a particularly swift or athletic receiver. But when given the chance, he seems to find ways to make positive yards, move the chains, and score touchdowns."

- Ramblin Fan Bret Stuter

Despite his size, determination, and collegiate productivity, his NFL Draft profiles consistently projected him as a late Day 3 rookie. Touting his less than elite speed, a lack of separation, and raw route running skills as area that would hold him back in his first NFL season, the LA Rams rookie receiver was not considered much more than a depth player for the Rams roster by NFL draft analysts.

And yet, here we are celebrating the NFL Rookie of the Week honors being awarded to Puka Nacua for the second time in four games in the young 2023 NFL season. But this is not about honors and accolades. This article is about production on the football field. And yes, Rams fans, WR Puka Nacua is delivering a season's worth of work in just his first four NFL games:

In just four games, Nacua has topped the performance of all but two receivers on the Rams roster for all of the 2022 NFL season Nacua's 501 yards is only beaten by WR Cooper Kupp's 812 yards, and Tyler Higbee's 620 yards in all of the 2022 NFL season.

I personally believe that Puka Nacua has already made an irrefutable case for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. But the bias to honor even average quarterbacks in the NFL may be too much for Nacua to overcome.

Honors or no honors, the LA Rams front office has added an incredible array of talent to this Rams roster, despite another draft without a pick in Round 1. Settle back and enjoy the offensive fireworks, folks. The LA Rams offense is only going to get better from now through the rest of the 2023 NFL season.