From catching passes to catching injuries, Puka Nacua's season is off to a rough start.
By his standards, the Los Angeles Rams star was fairly quiet in the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. Then he missed Week 2 with what the team listed as a hip injury.
Now, Nacua appears to be in danger of missing Week 3. The receiver is officially listed on the injury report with a hip ailment, but additional reports have indicated that he is also dealing with a groin injury.
The groin injury appears to be the main issue, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, who said on Sept. 27 that the ailment is limiting Nacua's explosiveness.
Here's the latest on Nacua.
Is Puka Nacua playing tonight?
Nacua is listed as doubtful for "Sunday Night Football" in Week 3.
The receiver didn't practice
ahead of the contest, which would seemingly seal his fate. Head coach Sean McVay told reporters on Sept. 25 that the expectation is Nacua would be ready to play in Week 4, barring a setback, if he didn't play in Week 3.
While Nacua's absence is certainly felt, the Rams are one of the few teams built to weather the storm of injuries to players atop the depth chart.
Rams WR depth chart
- Puka Nacua (doubtful for Week 3)
- Davante Adams
- Jordan Whittington
- Konata Mumpfield
- Xavier Smith
- Tutu Atwell
- CJ Daniels
The Rams have the luxury of a roster with two top tier receivers. Adams has been one of the game's best for a long time and that was on full display in Week 2 when Nacua was sidelined.
Los Angeles didn't skip a beat while Adams turned in a vintage performance on "Monday Night Football" with eight catches, 195 yards and two touchdowns.
Depth beyond Adams can be a concern, but McVay isn't shy about deploying multiple tight ends to give the offense a different look. That takes some of the pressure off players like Whittington and Mumpfield, allowing them to continue playing a specific role instead of filling Nacua's shoes.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Puka Nacua playing tonight? Latest on Rams WR status ahead of Week 3
