Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua left the field in the second quarter of the Rams’ season opener against the Houston Texans after taking a big hit.
Nacua was open downfield and caught a pass from Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, then took a serious hit from Texans defender Henry To’oTo’o.
What Happened to Puka Nacua?
Nacua was down on the field after the hit, then got back on his feet. A referee looked into Nacua’s eyes to check on him, then Nacua left the field and was immediately met by Rams medical personnel. To’oTo’o received a penalty on the play for using the crown of his helmet to make the stop.
As Nacua left the field, he was holding his head, and it appeared that he had received a cut. The Rams star headed directly to the Rams locker room and was evaluated for a concussion at this time.
Puka Nacua #rams
Heading to the locker room to get a cut on his head tended too. As long as the helmet to helmet collision didn’t also lead to a concussion he should return pic.twitter.com/7gfKz3ERII
— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) September 7, 2025
Nacua later returned to the game after being spotted on the sidelines with a big bandage on his forehead to heal the wound. The Rams star once again went back to the blue tent; however, it is believed that it was to re-bandage the cut he suffered earlier in the game.
He finished the game with 10 receptions for 130 yards and helped the Rams to a 14-9 win. Nacua spoke to the media after the game and talked about his injury.
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” he said. “I just remember I felt like my whole chin strap and everything was not connected to my helmet. I knew I was bleeding somewhere.”
Nacua’s Status for Week 2
Fortunately for the Rams, Nacua was not listed on the injury report heading into Week 2. He is ready to play against the Tennessee Titans, as the NFC West team will hope to start the season 2-0.
The Titans are coming off a loss in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos. Although Cam Ward played quite well in his NFL debut, it will be tough for his team to get a result against the Rams.
Nacua’s Fantasy Outlook
Nacua posted a WRi grade of 98.4 in 2024, the best mark in the league by a wide margin. Entering this season, he was averaging 88.4 receiving yards per game and has consistently proven himself as one of the NFL’s most reliable target earners, commanding 9.5 looks per game for his career.
The only real knock on Nacua has been durability. He missed six games last season with a knee injury and carried similar concerns during his college career. If Nacua were to miss time, Davante Adams would immediately slide into the WR1 role.
At 32, Adams isn’t quite the dominant force he once was, but he still has the skill set to deliver fantasy WR1 numbers — especially with Matthew Stafford distributing the ball.
Provided Nacua is fine, he should continue operating as an elite WR1, while Adams projects as a strong WR2 whose weekly ceiling will hinge heavily on touchdowns.
