Puka Nacua's injury unlocks opportunities for Rams' fringe offensive weapons

While the possibility of not seeing elite wide receiver Puka Nacua is not something fans want to see, the Los Angeles Rams offense is more than one guy.

Yes, LA invested in veteran Davante Adams to power the offense, but he is struggling to catch footballs this season. In six games this season, he has crossed the 50-50 barrier in catch rate just once. He has three touchdowns and 396 receiving yards.

But it all seems so inefficient.

Still, the offense has other options. And so far, Los Angeles has gone with Nacua and his 80-plus-percent catch rate. Speedy wide receiver Tutu Atwell is no better, catching just 44.4 percent of his passes. What the Rams need are physical receivers who run crisp routes and can outmuscle defensive backs.

For an offense that loves to move the chains through the air, Nacua has been a custom-engineered performer. He finds the soft spots in coverage and runs precise routes that place him where he needs to be when the football arrives. And he is tough enough to tack on additional yards as a ball carrier.

But he is not the only one.

Should Nacua miss Los Angeles' Week 7 showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars, other less-discussed offensive weapons will be tasked with plugging the gap.

Rams have multiple depth options to unleash on Jaguars in Week 7

Tight end Tyler Higbee

While he is only catching passes at a 66.7-percent clip this season, Tyler Higbee just put up an outstanding performance against a stingy Baltimore Ravens defense. In Week 6, he hauled in all four passes for 40 yards and one of just two touchdowns scored in the game.

Historically, when Higbee gets hot, he stays hot. Right now, he's not.

Wide receiver Jordan Whittington

It's virtually impossible to see Jordan Whittington play and not see vestiges of Nacua in his style.

Whittington is another physical receiver who runs precise routes and catches everything thrown at him, boasting a catch rate of 76.9 percent. He only has 102 receiving yards because he gets too little work.

He is a guy to watch in Week 7, though, as he continues to deliver everything asked of him.

Tight end Terrance Ferguson

The coaching staff continues to sing rookie Terrance Ferguson's praises. But with a track record of catching the only pass thrown his way for 21 yards, it's becoming increasingly difficult to take the glowing reviews seriously.

Rookie or not, the best experience is game-time experience. If the former Oregon Duck hopes to have a successful NFL career, Week 7 needs to be a solid debut.

Running back Kyren Williams

Los Angeles' offense had great success at running and passing to former running back Todd Gurley.

In 2025, Kyren Williams is sneaking into that type of all-purpose offensive weapon.

Not only has he carried the football 95 times for 418 yards and two touchdowns, but he's hauled in 18 of 23 passes (78.3-percent catch rate) for 155 yards and three touchdowns.

Tight end Davis Allen

Seldom-used Davis Allen may only have caught seven of nine passes for 55 yards, but that works out to a 77.8-percent catch rate. Better still, two of those seven receptions resulted in touchdowns. That's scoring at a phenomenal clip.

Like many of the options listed here, his workload has been sparse and intermittent. But if the offense turns his way against the Jags in Week 7, there is every reason to believe he will deliver.

LA's offense fixates on the same players, which ultimately raises the likelihood of injury, and that means other weapons must be involved to a larger extent.

The time to do so is against a formidable opponent, Jacksonville.

As always, thanks for reading.