Quarterback Matthew Stafford was entering the 2025 regular season with questions surrounding his back and whether his injury would affect his receiving targets. Through two games so far, his back issues appear to be nonexistent.
The Los Angeles Rams QB looks like himself through two games so far, throwing for 549 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes. Stafford’s main target this season has been wide receiver Puka
Nacua, who has 221 receiving yards, the most on the Rams and fourth most in the league.
Nacua received a bold prediction from ESPN’s Seth Walder before the start of the season that the former BYU Cougar would be the league leader in receiving yards. Puka is currently near the top of the pack and could achieve that number.
In Nacua’s rookie season in the league, the wide receiver hauled in 1,486 receiving yards, which was the fourth most in the league.
While the Rams’ offensive weapon is on track to become at least one of the leaders, one NFL writer calls the prediction that Nacua will lead the league an overreaction.
Puka Nacua Won’t Be Receiving Yards Leader
GettyLos Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua
Bailey Bassett of ClutchPoints believes the third-year Los Angeles Rams wide receiver won’t lead the league in receiving yardage
due to his new $44 million teammate.
“Puka Nacua has been the best receiver in the NFL through two weeks. He has a league-leading 18 receptions as well as 221 receiving yards to boot. Nacua will be one of the leading receivers in the NFL all season long, but he won’t actually finish first in receptions or receiving yards,” Bassett wrote.
“That is because Davante Adams needs his fair share of targets as well. Nacua and Cooper Kupp formed a great duo, but injuries prevented the two from sharing the field very often. This new Los Angeles Rams receiver tandem is even better, but there is only one football to go around.”
Nacua and Adams have played in two games together so far and they have an almost even target count. The new signing has been targeted 21 times, while the third-year Ram has been targeted 20 times.
Nacua takes the cake when it comes to receptions, as he caught 18 of his 20 targets. Adams has only 10 receptions so far.
Puka has been averaging 110.5 yards per game so far. If he were to continue at this rate in the 15 remaining games, he would finish with around 1878 yards and have his name most likely at the top of receiving yards.
Puka Nacua On Start To Season
GettyLA Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua
Puka Nacua is currently graded as the best wide receiver after two weeks by Pro Football Focus with a 90.9 overall grade.
Nacua is making some plays on the field, but he credits his quarterback for allowing him to do so.
“Number nine can make any throw on the field, but I’m sure it’s nice when you get somebody as experienced as he is to understand it, get that much more information you can from the defense to be able to dissect it,” Nacua said, via
The Rams website.
“It’s been super fun because coach [Sean] McVay, Matthew and the masterminds that we have on the offensive side of the ball, they do their best to give us the opportunities to succeed.”
