Los Angeles Rams May Be Asking Too Much of Puka Nacua

Sports admin October 13, 2026 0 Comments

Los Angeles Rams May Be Asking Too Much of Puka Nacua

The Los Angeles Rams pushed wide receiver Puka Nacua to a “Monday Night Football”-record 24 targets in Monday’s 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills, and the production was undeniable: 17 catches, 138 yards and a touchdown. The concern coming out of the game is whether that kind of volume makes sense for an offense that needs Nacua at full strength deep into the season.

Locked On Rams co-host Rob Buska praised Nacua’s ability to repeatedly move the chains but questioned whether the receiver is being overused. That is a reasonable issue for a team whose passing attack has leaned so heavily on one player; in three games played this season, Nacua has 45 targets.

Nacua’s target spike also reflected game conditions. Los Angeles threw 54 times while trying to answer Buffalo’s second-half scoring surge, and Nacua was Matthew Stafford’s most dependable option on critical downs. Locked On Rams host Gavin Carlson pointed to the receiver’s toughness after the catch, but the Rams must avoid turning that toughness into an expectation that he will absorb every difficult hit. Adding to the concern is that Nacua has missed two games this season because of a hip/groin injury, and he dealt with a core muscle injury in training camp.

Nacua’s usage against the Bills puts more pressure on Sean McVay’s offense to create complementary answers through Adams, the tight ends and the running game. The Rams will need to preserve Nacua for the long haul as they try to bounce back from a 2-3 start and catch up to the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers (5-0).

The Rams return home to face the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 18. That matchup gives McVay, Stafford and the offense a chance to find a more sustainable distribution around their featured wideout.

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This story was originally published October 13, 2026 at 6:34 PM.