WR Puka Nacua LAR (1 Viewer)

[ConnSKINS26]

Who is the best WW pickup of all time? Obviously every league is different in number of players drafted. My best was Kurt Warner

Arian Foster has to be up there. Puka of course. Julius Thomas may have been a waiver pickup in some leagues during Manning’s DEN 50 TD season, but in dynasty leagues he was definitely rostered.

 

[jobarules]

Who is the best WW pickup of all time? Obviously every league is different in number of players drafted. My best was Kurt Warner

There's been so many but Puka and Kyren have to be up there since they were essentially picked up after week 1

 

[ZADO]

Who is the best WW pickup of all time? Obviously every league is different in number of players drafted. My best was Kurt Warner

100 %

 

[Down Under]

Who is the best WW pickup of all time? Obviously every league is different in number of players drafted. My best was Kurt Warner

Unfortunately, I lived in St. Louis and he was drafted in the 7th round! (and laughed at as a dumb homer)

 

[jobarules]

OBJ was a league winning pickup his rookie year

 

[Ilov80s]

Who is the best WW pickup of all time? Obviously every league is different in number of players drafted. My best was Kurt Warner

Arian Foster has to be up there. Puka of course. Julius Thomas may have been a waiver pickup in some leagues during Manning’s DEN 50 TD season, but in dynasty leagues he was definitely rostered.

Julius was huge that year, especially for me because TE was just the big weak spot on my team and he filled it out beautifully all year long. 12 TDs off of waivers at that position is massive. The easy answers are Alvin Kamara and David Johnson rookie years. Both carried me to a lot of money.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Mike Vick 1st year with the Eagles. I drafted him late in one league, plucked off the wire pre-week 1 in the other.

I had to see him give a speech (online) at a school before I could allow myself to do so, but he had a crazy good FF year.

Also way too many Denver running backs to list. lol

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Also Law Firm. He helped a lot of teams and then broke a lot of hearts.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

OBJ was a league winning pickup his rookie year

Yeah, that’s probably top 2. Kamara probably the other one.

 

[Ilov80s]

Mike Vick 1st year with the Eagles. I drafted him late in one league, plucked off the wire pre-week 1 in the other.

I had to see him give a speech (online) at a school before I could allow myself to do so, but he had a crazy good FF year.

Also way too many Denver running backs to list. lol

Oh yeah for awhile those Denver RBs were killing it. Mike Anderson and Knowshon Moreno are the first that come to mind.

Also Deangelo Williams in Pittsburgh was a massive WW pickup for me. I remember trading a receiver for FAAB money so I could be guaranteed to make the highest bid for Williams after Lev Bell was hurt. It proved to be totally worth it.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Mike Anderson and Knowshon Moreno are the first that come to mind.

Olandis Gary helped me win a league off the wire. There are probably more we’re forgetting. shanahan didn’t gaf what name was on the jersey for a while there.

 

[Down Under]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

 

[Ilov80s]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

 

[BigTex]

I had him on the bench! Ugh!

Tex

 

[GPS]

I had him on the bench! Ugh!

Tex

Nice to have a comiserator.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

 

[BigTex]

From DFF

Through 15 games, Nacua has amassed 1327 yards (5th all-time) and 96 receptions (3rd all-time) while only catching 5 TDs. He’s averaged 17.7PPG (6th all-time, min. 10 games) despite the lack of touchdowns on 146 targets (3rd all-time). He still has one more game to add to these totals to compare to the all-time greats (remember, most played 16-game seasons). As of week 14, he has a 28.8% target share (9th in the league) and a 28.9% TPRR (4th). He also has the benefit of playing with one of the best offensive head coaches in the NFL: Sean McVay, and has Matthew Stafford (QB – LAR) as his quarterback.

 

[Ilov80s]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

You might be right now that I’m sitting down and listing out the players. First half of round 2 is probably the spot. Around where Wilson and Adams were going this year.

 

[Ilov80s]

Ok so like I was saying, I’m totally happy I played Amari Cooper over Puka lol

 

[jobarules]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

That's a bit too high for me. I think he's an early 3rd rd pick in Higgins tier

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

That's a bit too high for me. I think he's an early 3rd rd pick in Higgins tier

He might we’ll be, but IMO the FF community will hype him up to early-mid second.

And my point was if I’m at 12, I know I have to take him there or not get him.

 

[Faust]

Rams WR Puka Nacua inching towards all time record

 

[chad in Indy]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

Hard to say. Gotta think defenses will pay a little more attention to him next year and have film in him. The WR2 has done well on this team and seems to outperform expectations. Maybe more of a system benefit that the player talent. Not knocking Pucka, but early to say. Look at Robert Woods numbers on LA and he did nothing after he left.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

Hard to say. Gotta think defenses will pay a little more attention to him next year and have film in him. The WR2 has done well on this team and seems to outperform expectations. Maybe more of a system benefit that the player talent. Not knocking Pucka, but early to say. Look at Robert Woods numbers on LA and he did nothing after he left.

Defenses have had 16 games to watch film on him.

He passes the eye test. Robert Woods isn’t a great comp, IMO.

 

[Ilov80s]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

Hard to say. Gotta think defenses will pay a little more attention to him next year and have film in him. The WR2 has done well on this team and seems to outperform expectations. Maybe more of a system benefit that the player talent. Not knocking Pucka, but early to say. Look at Robert Woods numbers on LA and he did nothing after he left.

Defenses have had 16 games to watch film on him.

He passes the eye test. Robert Woods isn’t a great comp, IMO.

The comp I heard recently was Kenny Golladay. I do see some of that game.

 

[Streetduck]

The comp I heard recently was Kenny Golladay. I do see some of that game.

Just silly

 

[Hoh]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

Hard to say. Gotta think defenses will pay a little more attention to him next year and have film in him. The WR2 has done well on this team and seems to outperform expectations. Maybe more of a system benefit that the player talent. Not knocking Pucka, but early to say. Look at Robert Woods numbers on LA and he did nothing after he left.

Defenses have had 16 games to watch film on him.

He passes the eye test. Robert Woods isn’t a great comp, IMO.

The comp I heard recently was Kenny Golladay. I do see some of that game.

Let’s hope he has more post-Stafford staying power.

 

[Ilov80s]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

Hard to say. Gotta think defenses will pay a little more attention to him next year and have film in him. The WR2 has done well on this team and seems to outperform expectations. Maybe more of a system benefit that the player talent. Not knocking Pucka, but early to say. Look at Robert Woods numbers on LA and he did nothing after he left.

Defenses have had 16 games to watch film on him.

He passes the eye test. Robert Woods isn’t a great comp, IMO.

The comp I heard recently was Kenny Golladay. I do see some of that game.

Let’s hope he has more post-Stafford staying power.

Yeah it’s the kind of WR Stafford works well with because he’s not afraid to let his receivers make contested catches. I think what really stopped Golladay was his hip injury. He never recovered from it.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Where do folks see him getting drafted next year (redraft)? I'm guessing he still goes behind Hill, Lamb, the Browns, and Chase in most leagues, which probably puts him in round 2. Thoughts?

2/3 turn seems right to me...but that is without actually going through the options

I mean if I’m at 12 I don’t think I can realistically let him slide to someone in Round 2. Dude’s at 96 /1327/5 with 2 games to go? Those are FF WR1 numbers all day. If I can go AJB/Puka I’m all over it at 12 in redraft. IMO he could even get better.

Hard to say. Gotta think defenses will pay a little more attention to him next year and have film in him. The WR2 has done well on this team and seems to outperform expectations. Maybe more of a system benefit that the player talent. Not knocking Pucka, but early to say. Look at Robert Woods numbers on LA and he did nothing after he left.

Defenses have had 16 games to watch film on him.

He passes the eye test. Robert Woods isn’t a great comp, IMO.

The comp I heard recently was Kenny Golladay. I do see some of that game.

Let’s hope he has more post-Stafford staying power.

Yeah it’s the kind of WR Stafford works well with because he’s not afraid to let his receivers make contested catches. I think what really stopped Golladay was his hip injury. He never recovered from it.

Exactly - Golloday never recovered the speed & twitch he had in DET.

 

[Gatorman]

I wonder how often a big game for a rookie’s debut translates into a quality FF starter during their first year?

I remember Anquan Boldin’s 10 catches for 217 yard in his first game in 2003 and how he had a great season. I passed on him at the time.

So I asked chatGPT to search for all rookie WRs with eight or more catches in their first game and got seven instances including one from a RB.

As of my last update in January 2022, several rookie wide receivers had 8 or more receptions in their NFL debuts. Here are some of them:

1. Earl Cooper (1980) - San Francisco 49ers: 12 receptions. (Note: While Cooper was primarily a running back, he caught these passes in his debut.)
2. Anquan Boldin (2003) - Arizona Cardinals: 10 receptions.
3. Terry McLaurin (2019) - Washington Redskins: 9 receptions.
4. DeAndre Hopkins (2013) - Houston Texans: 8 receptions.
5. Kenny Golladay (2017) - Detroit Lions: 8 receptions.
6. Michael Thomas (2016) - New Orleans Saints: 8 receptions.
7. Eddie Royal (2008) - Denver Broncos: 8 receptions.

Here are their rookie stats…

1. Earl Cooper (1980, San Francisco 49ers):
   • Receptions: 83
   • Receiving Yards: 567
   • Receiving Touchdowns: 4 (Note: These stats blend receiving with his primary role as a running back)
2. Anquan Boldin (2003, Arizona Cardinals):
   • Receptions: 101
   • Receiving Yards: 1,377
   • Receiving Touchdowns: 8
3. Terry McLaurin (2019, Washington Redskins):
   • Receptions: 58
   • Receiving Yards: 919
   • Receiving Touchdowns: 7
4. DeAndre Hopkins (2013, Houston Texans):
   • Receptions: 52
   • Receiving Yards: 802
   • Receiving Touchdowns: 2
5. Kenny Golladay (2017, Detroit Lions):
   • Receptions: 28
   • Receiving Yards: 477
   • Receiving Touchdowns: 3
6. Michael Thomas (2016, New Orleans Saints):
   • Receptions: 92
   • Receiving Yards: 1,137
   • Receiving Touchdowns: 9
7. Eddie Royal (2008, Denver Broncos):
   • Receptions: 91
   • Receiving Yards: 980
   • Receiving Touchdowns: 5

From purely a statistical perspective, presuming this is a good sample and the right cutoff of eight catches in a rookie debut, then it could be argued that there is a reasonable possibility that Nacua will put up comparable numbers to his predecessors. IF I accept this argument (and I do), then it looks like Nacua is a pretty good bet to pickup on waivers.

So the next question is…how much to bid out of $100 in a FAAB waiver system?

This was the post of the year. Hands down. Kudos.

 

[Faust]

Adam Levitan
Puka Nacua clearly very, very good. But not going to crown him until we see a season without the WR Kingmaker, Matthew Stafford.

Stafford been behind:
1. Best WR season ever (Cooper Kupp, 2021)
2. Second-best WR season ever (Calvin Johnson, 2012)
3. Best rookie WR season ever (Puka Nacua, 2023)
4. Kenny Golladay top-10 WR (2018, 2019)
5. Golden Tate 1300-yard season (2014)
6. Marvin Jones three 9-TD seasons (2017, 2019, 2020)

https://x.com/adamlevitan/status/1742678958079148225?s=61

 

[Gatorman]

Adam Levitan
Puka Nacua clearly very, very good. But not going to crown him until we see a season without the WR Kingmaker, Matthew Stafford.

Stafford been behind:
1. Best WR season ever (Cooper Kupp, 2021)
2. Second-best WR season ever (Calvin Johnson, 2012)
3. Best rookie WR season ever (Puka Nacua, 2023)
4. Kenny Golladay top-10 WR (2018, 2019)
5. Golden Tate 1300-yard season (2014)
6. Marvin Jones three 9-TD seasons (2017, 2019, 2020)

https://x.com/adamlevitan/status/1742678958079148225?s=61

If Matty is running that offense again next year I'm taking all of the WRs on the roster if I can.

 

[Hoh]

Adam Levitan
Puka Nacua clearly very, very good. But not going to crown him until we see a season without the WR Kingmaker, Matthew Stafford.

Stafford been behind:
1. Best WR season ever (Cooper Kupp, 2021)
2. Second-best WR season ever (Calvin Johnson, 2012)
3. Best rookie WR season ever (Puka Nacua, 2023)
4. Kenny Golladay top-10 WR (2018, 2019)
5. Golden Tate 1300-yard season (2014)
6. Marvin Jones three 9-TD seasons (2017, 2019, 2020)

https://x.com/adamlevitan/status/1742678958079148225?s=61

If Matty is running that offense again next year I'm taking all of the WRs on the roster if I can.

I guess that really proves Allen Robinson was/is cooked.

 

[Gatorman]

Adam Levitan
Puka Nacua clearly very, very good. But not going to crown him until we see a season without the WR Kingmaker, Matthew Stafford.

Stafford been behind:
1. Best WR season ever (Cooper Kupp, 2021)
2. Second-best WR season ever (Calvin Johnson, 2012)
3. Best rookie WR season ever (Puka Nacua, 2023)
4. Kenny Golladay top-10 WR (2018, 2019)
5. Golden Tate 1300-yard season (2014)
6. Marvin Jones three 9-TD seasons (2017, 2019, 2020)

https://x.com/adamlevitan/status/1742678958079148225?s=61

If Matty is running that offense again next year I'm taking all of the WRs on the roster if I can.

I guess that really proves Allen Robinson was/is cooked.

I was listening to the Harmon Podcast on Yahoo and he basically said this. "None of us believed the Puka hype because we heard the same thing about Allen Robinson the year before". I think a lot of this years' Rams hype is the fact that McVay and Stafford recommited to wanting to win rather than "giving up". They also kind of mentioned that the Rams changed their running scheme from Zone read to man and gap which was where Kyler excelled at Norte Dame.

 

[FairWarning]

Adam Levitan
Puka Nacua clearly very, very good. But not going to crown him until we see a season without the WR Kingmaker, Matthew Stafford.

Stafford been behind:
1. Best WR season ever (Cooper Kupp, 2021)
2. Second-best WR season ever (Calvin Johnson, 2012)
3. Best rookie WR season ever (Puka Nacua, 2023)
4. Kenny Golladay top-10 WR (2018, 2019)
5. Golden Tate 1300-yard season (2014)
6. Marvin Jones three 9-TD seasons (2017, 2019, 2020)

https://x.com/adamlevitan/status/1742678958079148225?s=61

If Matty is running that offense again next year I'm taking all of the WRs on the roster if I can.

I guess that really proves Allen Robinson was/is cooked.

He’s stole money for three seasons now.

 

[Faust]

Next Gen Stats
Carson Wentz & Puka Nacua (19-yd TD)

Nacua, who now has 1,473 receiving yards on the season, ties the rookie receiving yardage record originally set by Bill Groman in 1960.

#LAvsSF | #RamsHouse

https://x.com/nextgenstats/status/1744115567903338673?s=61

 

[Bozeman Bruiser]

Nacua was born to Penina and Lionel Nacua in Provo, Utah in May 2001. Nacua lost his father, Lionel, to diabetes when he was just 10 years old. But Lionel’s love of football, and his son, was hugely impactful during Nacua’s formative years.

Nacua’s mother, Penina, recalled the bond her late husband shared with her son, and just how football-centric it often was, during an interview with the New York Post this past October.

There were times when I’d come to the truck, and I remember Puka sitting in the passenger seat and he’s got his iPad, and his dad would make him watch film. And he’s watching old players from way back during our time in the ’80s and ’90s. Puka would have to sit there, and he’d be watching film as my husband was taking him to a game. And they were my husband’s favorite players.”

Some of the names noted among Nacua’s frequently viewed highlight reels include Lawrence Taylor and Troy Polamalu, two of their respective generation’s most imposing defenders. That helps to explain why, despite playing a glamourous position like wide receiver, Nacua has thrived on a physical, hard-nosed playing style.

It didn’t hurt any that Nacua was the second-youngest of five brothers. Well, it likely hurt plenty. But it definitely helped to hone Nacua’s toughness all the same.

My husband loved defense; he loved having his boys hitting each other,” Penina said. “He would have everybody suiting up and putting on the shoulder pads, and he’d make them go head-on, one-on-one. Whoever was the youngest was getting mauled, and that was Puka.”

Penina was tasked with raising half a dozen children, five boys and one girl, as a single mother after her husband’s untimely death. But she made it a point of emphasis to impart important life lessons to her children as they grew older.

“I never let my kids ever think that they were bigger and better than everyone else,” Penina said. “I always remind my kids to not let their dad’s death go in vain because he worked so hard for you guys, to remember that in all that they are doing and pursuing.”

There’s no doubt that Penina and all Nacua’s siblings are endlessly proud of the success the rookie star has enjoyed in his still-burgeoning pro career. Just as there’s no doubt his father would be similarly thrilled to see his son thriving on the gridiron today.

“We literally jumped off the couch, we were screaming, and we were just crying because watching Puka on TV and seeing him in his element and scoring that last touchdown to win the game,” Penina said.

“That was just the sweetest moment to see. And we all felt like it was coming. Like we were all calling it already. I swear, the angels were there helping making sure he got in that end zone, and he got it done.”

Sorry for the janky formatting,was on mobile. An article about Puka's upbringing and how/why he plays the way he does.

There's a good chance this was already posted earlier on the thread, sorry for the repost.

 

[Faust]

Rams' Puka Nacua breaks NFL rookie receiving yards record

 

[Faust]

Next Gen Stats
Puka Nacua went in motion before beating Cameron Sutton on a vertical route for a 50-yard TD.

Nacua gained 394 total yards after being used in a shift or motion during the regular season (2nd-most in the NFL).

#LARvsDET | #RamsHouse

https://x.com/nextgenstats/status/1746714663407288485?s=61

 

[Sunday Gravy]

Looks like the best wr in the league tonight. What a show he's putting on.

 

[osubuckeyeman]

Looks like the best wr in the league tonight. What a show he's putting on.

He is just different. I can not believe a guy that big can move like that.

 

[abrunn1133]

This guy is a stud, and a top 5 WR in the making. Big, strong, great route running, and excellent hands. He takes some serious shots and keeps coming back for more.

 

[King of the Jungle]

First chance I have seen a full game of his….wow, what a baller.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

This guy is a stud, and a top 5 WR in the making. Big, strong, great route running, and excellent hands. He takes some serious shots and keeps coming back for more.

He was the steal of every draft in every format.

 

[Uncle Leo]

How did so many teams miss on this kid. My Giants traded up to draft a WR in the 3rd. I was so excited to land Hyatt. I know it’s easy to talk now, but how did the scouts blow this one?

 

[Faust]

Next Gen Stats
Puka Nacua caught 9 of 10 targets for 181 yards & a TD, gaining 59 receiving yards after contact, the 4th-most in a game this season.

Nacua gained the 2nd-most receiving yards after contact (297) in the NFL during the regular season.

#LARvsDET | #RamsHouse

https://x.com/nextgenstats/status/1746751776534225031?s=61

Puka Nacua gained 150 receiving yards after being used in a shift or motion tonight, the 2nd-most in a game in the NGS era.

The Rams offense used a shift or motion on 90.9% of plays, the 5th-highest rate in a game in the NGS era.

#LARvsDET | #RamsHouse

https://x.com/nextgenstats/status/1746751779306709153?s=61

 

[Faust]

Rams' Puka Nacua sets rookie playoff record for receiving yards vs. Lions in 2024 wild-card loss

 

[Faust]

Puka Nacua draft: Why BYU star fell to Rams in the fifth round of 2023 NFL Draft

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Gotta love it

 

[firstseason1988]

Who is the best WW pickup of all time? Obviously every league is different in number of players drafted. My best was Kurt Warner

Unfortunately, I lived in St. Louis and he was drafted in the 7th round! (and laughed at as a dumb homer)

I was flipping channels that year and a St Louis pre season game happened to be on so I watched, Warner was hitting dudes right in the numbers but the WRs seriously must have had 12 drops, it was bad. My thought was, the WRs will catch the ball and none of the clowns in my league had ever heard of the Warner so I decided to draft him as my 2nd QB in the last round, won my league.