Rams All-Pro Puka Nacua likely to go on injured reserve with knee, toe injuries

The Rams will now likely be without both Puka Nacua and Davante Adams

Nov 9, 2026 at 5:45 pm ET • 2 min read

The Los Angeles Rams (5-4) can't catch a break from the injury. After All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett's triumphant return to the lineup in their Week 9 victory over the Washington Commanders, All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua is expected to go on injured reserve. 

Coach Sean McVay told reporters on Monday that Nacua, who is dealing with MCL and PCL sprains in addition to turf toe, will likely go on injured reserve, thus sidelining him for at least four games. That's a massive blow for the Rams as Nacua led the NFL in catches (129), receiving first downs (80) and receiving yards per game (107.2) last season. He is also the NFL's all-time leader in receiving yards per game with a career average of 96.2. This season, he has 70 catches for 715 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns while also adding 41 yards rushing and a touchdown on 7 carries. Nacua leads the Rams in every receiving metric this season while being tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns with six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams. In 2026, he represents 27.6% of the Rams' team target share, which is the eighth-highest rate in the entire NFL this season. 

Nacua now joins Adams (hamstring) on injured reserve. Adams went down with a hamstring injury in the team's Week 6 loss against the Arizona Cardinals, and McVay said at the time that Adams would be expected to miss 6 to 10 weeks. That means the earliest Adams could return is against his former team, the Green Bay Packers, in Week 12 on Nov. 25. The earliest Nacua could return is Week 15 against the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 20, if he misses a minimum of four games. Fortunately for Nacua, Los Angeles' Week 11 bye also gives him an extra week to heal up.

After Nacua and Adams, Los Angeles running back Kyren Williams leads the Rams in targets (46), and he is No. 2 on the team in catches with 36. Tight end Tyler Higbee is No. 3 on the team in receiving yards with 287 after both Nacua and Adams, and tight end Davis Allen (two receiving touchdowns) is No. 3 on the team in receiving touchdowns behind Los Angeles' two injured star wideouts. 

Quarterback Matthew Stafford will have to make some magic happen with a depleted arsenal of playmakers, in addition to leaning on Williams and Blake Corum in the run game, in order to maximize the Rams' "all in" 2.0 run in 2026.