A wide receiver has never won the NFL MVP award and that’s not going to change this year, but Puka Nacua has been the most valuable player for any team in September and that was proven once again on Sunday during the Rams’ 27-20 win over the Colts. Nacua caught 13 passes for 170 yards, a regular season career-high for a single game, and caught a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Nacua should be a lock to win his first-ever NFC Offensive Player of the Month award when announcements are made
this week, but let’s take it a step further: The Rams are 3-1, and not 0-4, because of Puka Nacua. Even more so than they are because of Matthew Stafford.
It’s often said that Stafford has “made” receivers, like former Offensive Players of the Year Calvin Johnson and Cooper Kupp. But at this stage of his career, Puka is keeping Stafford’s career alive.
Through four games this season, Nacua has caught 42 passes for 503 yards and added 52 yards on the ground. He has only scored two touchdowns but the Rams are usually only in scoring position because of him.
Nacua has a massive lead in receptions and receiving yards over every other player in the league and that’s even with him twice leaving games with injuries that he returned from.
The last player to gain at least 500 yards in his team’s first four games of the regular season is…Puka Nacua.
In 2023, Nacua had 501 yards in L.A.’s first four games, his rookie season in the NFL as a fifth round pick. That same year, Justin Jefferson had 33 catches and 543 yards in the Vikings first four games of the season. Only 21 players have gained at least 500 yards in his team’s first four games of the season.
Puka Nacua is the first player in NFL history to do that twice.
At that rate he’s going, Puka would break the NFL records for catches and yards in a single season. Of course, as you can tell, he is not the first player in history to be able to say this. It happens sometimes and then guys regress and cool off and end up with 1,600 yards or 1,400 yards or something. It’s unusual but happens.
However, Puka might be the first player to actually reach 2,000 receiving yards.
- He’s obviously Stafford’s only target
- He catches everything
- He’s versatile
- The Rams will need to continue to throw the ball a lot
As long as Puka Nacua plays in 17 games, he could set every NFL single season receiving record and by doing that could help the Rams win the NFC West. If Nacua does something unprecedented, it’s going to be time to talk about unprecedented MVPs.
Yes, a quarterback WILL win the award. I can confidently say that a QB will win MVP and Puka will only be considered for Offensive Player of the Year if he continues at this pace. A QB has won MVP in each of the last 12 seasons and 17 of the last 18. A WR has never won it. A kicker has won it, but not a WR.
But the most valuable player in the entire NFL this year is not a quarterback. It’s a wide receiver and thy name is Puka.
