Puka Nacua’s Groin Injury Could Ruin Week 1: Here Is the Truth
- Football Nation
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated September 2, 2026. Projections are Football Nation editorial projections. Fantasy totals use half PPR scoring unless otherwise stated.
Nacua is back, and the latest news is better than the original headline
Puka Nacua left an August practice with groin soreness that was later identified as discomfort around the psoas muscle. The Rams held him out while the soreness lingered, creating understandable anxiety for anyone considering him with a top five fantasy pick. The most important update is that Nacua returned to practice Sunday and is not currently expected to miss regular season time because of the injury.
That does not make every concern disappear. Soft tissue injuries can return, especially when a receiver accelerates, decelerates and changes direction at full speed. It does mean the correct fantasy response has changed. This is no longer a reason to fade Nacua dramatically. It is a reason to monitor his workload during the final practices before the opener.
Puka Nacua, FanDuel, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 View the original on Wikimedia Commons
What Nacua did in 2025
Nacua delivered a monster season: 129 receptions, 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games. His 166 targets powered 296 half PPR points, or 18.5 per game. He led the NFL in receptions and yards per game while finishing second in total receiving yards.
The volume was not empty. Nacua averaged 13.3 yards per catch and repeatedly turned the Rams passing game into a one player fantasy advantage. Matthew Stafford’s accuracy and Sean McVay’s ability to manufacture touches give Nacua one of the league’s strongest combinations of floor and ceiling.
Football Nation 2026 projection
Our projection is 120 receptions, 1,565 yards and nine touchdowns over 16 games. That produces 270.5 half PPR points. It is a slight regression from an extraordinary season, but it still places Nacua among the safest elite receivers in fantasy.
Davante Adams remains capable of commanding targets, and Tutu Atwell has returned to provide speed. Neither player removes Nacua from the center of the offense. The greater risks are health and any future league discipline tied to his off field situation, not his role when available.
If Nacua practices fully, start him without hesitation. If he is limited, he still belongs in lineups because his short and intermediate usage can support a strong game without a full menu of deep routes. Only an unexpected absence would move Adams into the unquestioned WR1 tier and create deeper league value for Atwell.
The one setback that would change everything
A return to practice is the strongest update fantasy managers have received, but soft tissue issues are judged by how the body responds the next day. Another absence after a full speed session would reopen the concern and raise the possibility of a managed route total. Consecutive practices would do the opposite. Nacua’s target share is so strong that even a slightly reduced snap count can support a WR1 result, provided he is moving normally.
Bottom line: The latest trajectory is positive. Nacua remains a first round fantasy pick and a weekly WR1.
Sources: NFL roundup | Rams player statistics
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