Few people would disagree with the fact that the Rams' offense features one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp have not only been elite in recent seasons, but they have produced at historic levels.
Nacua's rookie campaign in 2023 cemented him in the history books. His 105 receptions for 1,486 yards were both rookie single-season records. It has been a few years, but Kupp has a historic season under his belt as well. His 2021 campaign resulted in a receiving triple crown, making Kupp the 12th player to ever accomplish this feat and just the 2nd since the turn of the century. Kupp's 145 receptions, 1,947 yards, and 16 receiving touchdowns all led the NFL.
The success of both of these receivers is a reflection of their talent, but it's also indicative of what Sean McVay's offense can do for pass catchers. Regardless of what you attribute the success of Kupp and Nacua to, it's clear that this is an offense that we want to invest in for fantasy football. The question becomes, which player should we target in drafts?
Let's take a look at the fantasy outlook of each player and come to a conclusion on which receiver drafters should be looking to select.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
Rams WRs Fantasy Football Outlook 2024: Should you draft Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp?
Puka Nacua 2024 fantasy football outlook
Following his historic rookie season, Nacua had been a fixture of the end of Round 1 for the majority of the offseason. Nacua suffered a knee injury a few weeks ago, and his ADP took a slight hit. He now slots in as the WR8 at the beginning of Round 2. As you might expect from the very slight decrease in his draft cost, the injury isn't much of a cause for concern.
When reviewing a rookie's target earning and efficiency metrics, you'll often hear the phrase, "This number was good for a rookie." When it comes to Nacua, his advanced metrics were elite for any receiver. His yards per route run, target share, and targets per route run all ranked 11th or better last year. Few receivers achieve these thresholds in their career, let alone as a rookie. It's nice to see that Nacua is getting the respect he deserves and is being drafted as a WR1.
Now there is one caveat that comes with these numbers. Nacua was able to come out of the gates scorching hot thanks to an injury to Kupp that kept him sidelined until Week 5. It's likely that Kupp was playing at less than 100 percent even after he returned.
Nacua certainly benefitted from Kupp's ailing health, but he still produced in games in which they shared the field. In 13 games where the duo was on the field together, Nacua averaged 17.1 PPG. Across a full season, this would have ranked as the WR10. It's understandable to be hesitant about Nacua as the WR8, but there's no doubt that he should be viewed as a WR1.
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Cooper Kupp 2024 fantasy football outlook
Cooper Kupp's fantasy outlook for this year is a bit more complex than Nacua's. Kupp saw a drop-off in nearly every relevant advanced metric last year. More importantly, his fantasy production took a dip as well. Excluding a game where he left with an injury (Week 11), Kupp averaged 14.8 PPG, which was middling WR2 production.
The question, which is nearly impossible to answer, was whether his decline was related to injury or simply an age-related fall off. Kupp dealt with a slew of injuries last year that made him a regular in the trainer's room, but he is also at the age (31) where he is approaching the production cliff.
Heading into the 2024 season, Kupp is drafted in the range of WR20, depending on the draft platform. Drafters should be inclined to bet on Kupp at this price. He can be scooped up in the 4th round, a price that would not automatically cripple rosters if he doesn't work out.
Reports out of Rams training camp indicate that Kupp is fully healthy and that the offense "clearly runs through Kupp." This is encouraging for Kupp but shouldn't be taken to the extreme. Nacua proved last year that he deserves to be a prominent piece of the offense, and he should maintain a significant role in 2024.
Nacua will be a meaningful contributor, but we know that Kupp is capable of delivering 25-point weeks while sharing the field with Nacua. If the decline was simply injury-related and he reclaims the WR1 job, Kupp could pay off in a big way in Round 4.
2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB | RB | WR | TE | Each Team
The Verdict: Which Rams WR should you draft?
Anyone who leaves their draft with a Rams wide receiver should be thrilled. With Matthew Stafford under center, Kupp and Nacua catching passes, Kyren Williams taking the carries, and Sean McVay calling plays, this will be one of the most fertile environments in the NFL for fantasy production.
Nacua is likely the safer pick. He is young and jumped into the upper tiers at the position in just one NFL season. But when considering cost, Kupp becomes the Rams' receiver to target. He offers similar upside to Nacua and could easily reclaim his spot as Stafford's top target. When he can be scooped up 30 picks after Nacua, it's hard to pass up.
2024 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
