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The Los Angeles Rams have placed Puka Nacua on injured reserve, making Sean McVay’s squad extremely shorthanded on offense entering Week 10. Ahead of Los Angeles facing the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, reports have revealed that the Rams are hoping Nacua can return in Week 14 or 15.
Rams hope to have Puka Nacua back around Week 14 or 15 (@DanGrazianoESPN)
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) November 11, 2026
With Nacua, Davante Adams, and Terrance Ferguson sidelined for the Rams, there are certainly opportunities available to the remaining skill players.
How does Nacua’s injury update affect Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ pass-catchers from a fantasy football perspective?
All stats used in this article are from PFF or Sumer Sports unless stated otherwise. Fantasy rankings and fantasy point totals are courtesy of FantasyPros.
After winning NFL MVP and producing as the QB2 in fantasy points per game (21.1) last season, Stafford is currently the QB16 in fantasy points per game (16.9). Stafford has experienced a slight decline in his production compared to 2025, producing the 13th-most adjusted EPA/play (0.12) and the 17th-highest completion percentage over expected (+0.0%) among the 29 QBs with 200-plus plays in 2026.
While Stafford has already been a risky option with Nacua and his other weapons, he’s now unplayable in fantasy given the Rams’ current options.
Nacua managers are in a difficult spot after getting consistent WR1 production from the All-Pro wideout whenever he’s been healthy. However, while the Rams are hoping for Nacua to return in Week 14 or 15, there’s a chance he’s not fully healthy before the end of the regular season.
Managers should use an IR spot on Nacua if their league has them, or they should keep him on their bench in hopes he can return for the fantasy playoffs. But if the Rams provide a negative update on Nacua in the coming weeks, he could be worth dropping in favor of someone else who can help in the final weeks.
Of the remaining pass-catchers on the Rams, Tyler Higbee may have the best chance to produce – at least in the short term. Although Higbee is the TE29 in fantasy points per game (6.5), his usage and playing time are positives for an offense that is desperate for receiving production.
In three of the last four weeks, Higbee has logged an 80.0% snap share or higher in a Rams offense that deploys plenty of 12 personnel and 13 personnel looks. Additionally, the Cardinals are permitting the seventh-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to TEs (+3.1).
With a lack of reliable pass-catchers, the Rams could certainly lean on Kyren Williams and Blake Corum more. That being said, someone has to catch passes from Stafford.
Along with Higbee, Tutu Atwell and rookie CJ Daniels are the two deep sleepers to watch in Week 10. That’s to say that neither of them is worth starting in any fantasy format against the Cardinals.
None of the other WRs or TEs are currently fantasy-viable, but that could change if a player emerges in Sunday's contest.