Is a One-Time Pro Bowler the Best WR in the NFL?
There have been many breakout stars in the NFL at wide receiver, but none are doing what Puka Nacua has been doing this season. From being an unknown player picked 177th in the 2023 draft to quickly breaking records in his rookie year, Nacua is now a name everyone in the league is very familiar with. He has become the central figure in this Rams offense. Yet, as a third-year player, Nacua still looks like he is only just getting started.
Just four games in, the former BYU receiver has quietly become the most dangerous WR in the NFL. In Sunday’s game against the previously undefeated Colts, he put up 170 yards while averaging 13.1 yards per catch, showing how well-rounded his game has become. He has quickly become Matthew Stafford’s favorite target, already having 42 receptions with 503 yards. The closest receiver to him is Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has over a hundred fewer yards than Nacua, with 402.
Those 42 receptions are also tied for the most in the first four games of an NFL season. The one-time Pro Bowler has piled up these yards even after missing most of the first half against the Texans, as he still finished with 130 yards in that game. He also recorded 112 yards against the Eagles, two teams that have some of the league’s toughest defenses. He makes the most of every catch by breaking tackles, showing his physicality, and coming through in key moments. Sean McVay has found ways to get him into favorable matchups that even top defenses struggle to contain. The second he touches the ball, he turns into a running back and is one of the toughest receivers in the league to bring down. Nearly half of his receptions this year,46.7%, have led to first downs.
Through four weeks, Nacua is averaging 10.5 receptions per game, putting him on pace to break Michael Thomas’ record for most receptions per game in NFL history. After Sunday’s win against the Colts, he also became just the third player in league history to record at least eight receptions in each of the first four games of a season. If things remain as is with his incredible start, Nacua would be on pace for a 2,000-yard season. That type of production would not only shatter expectations the league had out of a fifth-round draft pick but also firmly cement his place among the elite in the league.
This is also the first time the three-year pro has lined up next to an elite veteran receiver like Davante Adams, and he is still producing at a WR1 level. Even with Adams getting his share of looks, Nacua continues to dominate. At just 24 years old, his ceiling remains sky-high. He is the most consistent wideout in football. Even last year, despite missing games due to an injury, he still finished with 990 yards on 79 receptions, and he had an amazing rookie year, posting 1,486 yards on 105 receptions.
In a league with Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, Puka Nacua has quickly joined that group with an incredible start to his career. He has made a strong case for being a top-three receiver in the NFL, and if he continues at this pace, he should be firmly in the conversation for Offensive Player of the Year. Nacua's blend of consistency, toughness, and versatility has set him apart from many other receivers in the league, proving he is more than just a breakout story. Week after week, Nacua is showing that he belongs and is looking like the best wide receiver in the NFL.
