The Los Angeles Rams announced that they had activated wide receiver Puka Nacua off of the injured reserve roughly one day after the team removed wide receiver Cooper Kupp from the injury list, meaning both guys are expected to play in LA’s Thursday Night Football game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Though the team has not yet said how much Nacua will be able to play, the plan is for Nacua to be active and available for the game, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are back. https://t.co/16xSohVost
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 24, 2024
Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are expected to start for the Los Angeles Rams in their game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Nacua has only played in one game this season when he suited up for LA’s week one matchup with the Detroit Lions. The second-year man out of BYU recorded four catches for 35 yards before being carted off with a knee injury in the first half of that game.
Just a week after Nacua went down, the Rams lost former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp to an ankle injury. However, Kupp is expected to make his return to action tonight just like Nacua, marking his third start of the year.
The Rams are getting back two of their best players just in time
The loss of Nacua and Kupp did a lot of damage to LA’s 2024-25 campaign, causing the Rams to drop four of their first six games. Bringing those two back into the fray will definitely help a team like Los Angeles, which is currently 23rd in points per game and tied for last in receiving touchdowns on the season with just three.
Thankfully, Nacua and Kupp are returning while the Rams still have some hope to be competitive in the NFC. Despite their 2-4 start, a win against Minnesota will put LA right back in the hunt for the NFC West. As a matter of fact, a 3-4 record will put the Rams just one game out of first place in the NFC West.
Had Nacua and Kupp not been able to play, the Rams likely would have lost and been forced to trade away some of their best players (like Cooper Kupp) for future considerations. However, a win tonight might not only save the season but also keep intact the core offensive group that helped LA win a Super Bowl just two years ago.
If the Rams do beat the Vikings, expect Nacua and Kupp to play a huge role in the team’s offense. After all, Minnesota is 24th in receiving touchdowns allowed and 30th in receiving yards given up per game.
The Rams should definitely be favored now. LA needs this win to keep their season alive while Minnesota can still technically afford to drop another game. Expect Los Angeles to put up some gaudy passing numbers against a Vikings team that was just shredded for 280 passing yards in a road loss to Detroit.
Main Photo: [Gary A. Vazquez] – USA Today Sports
