As soon as Myles Garrett came back and made a huge impact for the Rams on defense, the Rams offense lost one of its impact players when head coach Sean McVay announced Puka Nacua will "be out a good amount of time" with an MCL/PCL sprain and turf toe.
For the Rams, and for Fantasy Football managers, there is no replacing Nacua. He's averaged 13.3 targets, 10 catches, 102.1 receiving yards and 24.8 PPR points per game. The man is a unicorn.
Trying to guess the Rams' next move is dangerous. When Nacua went down with an injury in Week 1 of the 2024 season, everyone assumed Tutu Atwell, Demarcus Robinson and Jordan Whittington would all take on more work. They did, but none averaged more than the 11.4 PPR points Atwell reeled in over five games (he also averaged 6.8 targets per game). That includes tight end Colby Parkinson, by the way.
Moreover, in those games, the Rams went 2-3, averaged 18.8 points per game and ran the ball 44% of their plays.
Their offense simply was not the same without Nacua. And it won't be the same this time around, either. Not until Davante Adams comes back, but that figures to be by Week 12 at the earliest. And tight end Terrance Ferguson will be "another couple of weeks" out, according to McVay, who said before Week 9 that he hurt his hamstring in practice.
What should Fantasy managers do?
Don't look to the Rams depth chart to find a winning solution at receiver. Look to other receivers around the league. Remember, the goal here is to simply find a receiver who you can start with some confidence -- a guy who can average six targets per week, preferably with a good quarterback on a team that throws a lot, would be a good enough Band-Aid.
Receivers to trade for
Carnell Tate, Titans: He should be healthy coming out of the bye, and he's seen at least six targets in four of his past five. His schedule is mostly good; Cam Ward has made some slow progress in his game, and the Titans probably won't have many low-pass-volume game scripts. He also shouldn't cost too much in trade. Tate is the receiver on this list I'd chase the most.
Jalen Coker, Panthers: Coker has been on a dry spell, much like the Panthers, but he obviously plays a lot and works as a short-area outlet for Bryce Young. His target volume has sunk in his past three games and the Panthers offensively are finding ways to stay competitive despite a depleted offensive line. His schedule is mostly great — until Weeks 15 through 17. Maybe the most appealing part of acquiring Coker is the very low cost it'll take to get him given his recent weak stats.
Jordyn Tyson, Saints: The rookie had a sensational 31.3% target-per-route run rate in his debut last week, lining up in the slot just as much as he did out wide. He definitely flashed quicks out of his breaks and the same kind of acceleration we saw in college. The Saints haven't found a reliable run game all year, and because their remaining schedule isn't too daunting, we should see them throw a lot. That should mean Tyson winds up second on the team in targets from this point forward.
Denzel Boston, Browns: Cleveland's best threat outside the numbers, Boston has gotten at least seven targets in five of his past six, and he has nine red-zone targets on the year. Unfortunately, Boston's been above 10 PPR points in just three of those six. He does see an 83.6% catchable target rate, the fourth-lowest compared to 22 other players with at least 60 targets, so his quarterback play does keep his ceiling low. But the Browns' run game is a mess and their schedule after the Week 11 bye is amazing.
KC Concepcion, Browns: Like Boston, Concepcion gets a lot of targets, but unlike Boston, they're all mostly short-area screens and slants. That leads to easier completions (his catchable target rate is slightly better at 85.5%), but his floor is lower. Then again, if the Browns schedule is good for the pass game after Week 11, then Concepcion should be able to break a bunch of big plays after the catch. That'll be his only pathway to huge numbers, since he has a grand total of two red-zone targets in 2026.
If you can get them cheap ... Nico Collins and Garrett Wilson are also good receivers to target, but the people who roster them might be a little delusional in what they'd want in return. If you're willing to pay a pretty penny, then go after one of those two before the cheaper thrills listed above.
Receivers to add off waivers
Tank Dell, Texans (22% rostered): The dude had nine targets despite a 55% route rate in a blowout win over the Chargers. Seven of the nine targets were deep shots, of which he caught two. There's no doubt that C.J. Stroud loves having him back on the field, and the Texans' run game has been a wreck all year. Therefore, the Texans' chase for a playoff spot will go through Stroud's arm.
Makai Lemon, Eagles (59% rostered): You'll have to deal with his Week 10 bye, but the Eagles are heading toward a lost season with a depleted defense, making it more likely that the offense will throw a lot. Even with DeVonta Smith coming back at some point, Lemon should still be in the six-target range.
Caleb Douglas, Dolphins (73% rostered on CBS; lower on other platforms): It's beginning to look like Douglas will work as Miami's No. 1 receiver moving forward. He's got very good size and good speed to go with it, and the Dolphins offense will probably lean pass-heavy. Maybe four tough matchups are in front of him, but he should be another youngster worth your time.
Adonai Mitchell, Jets (63% rostered): His seven-target, zero-catch outing against the Chiefs might deter you, but Geno Smith has been completely willing to keep firing at Mitchell. And let's be fair, a week ago he had 142 yards and a touchdown. His schedule gets prickly once you get near the Fantasy playoffs.
Tutu Atwell, Rams (1% rostered): When the Rams were without Nacua for five games in 2024, Atwell stepped in and was the only pass-catcher to notch more than two weeks with double-digit PPR points. I'd be surprised if Atwell was just as good this time around, but he's a known quantity to this coaching staff -- they signed him to a crazy one-year deal last year, barely used him, then let him go in free agency to the Dolphins before trading for him before the season started!
If you don't mind streaming ... Ryan Flournoy (59% rostered), Demario Douglas (82% rostered on CBS; lower on other platforms), Jordan Watkins (25% rostered), Mack Hollins (12% rostered) and Xavier Hutchinson (6% rostered) are all worth taking a peek at. Hutchinson, like Dell, should play a lot in the slot for the Texans' pass-heavy offense.
