The San Francisco 49ers already caught a break for their second matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 13 at Levi's Stadium.
Los Angeles on Thursday announced star wide receiver Puka Nacua is heading to IR with an MCL injury he sustained on the final play of the Rams' Week 9 win over the Washington Commanders
. His placement on IR ahead of Week 10 means he'll still be on IR when the 49ers host the Rams in Week 14.The NFL's IR rules stipulate a player must miss four games, not four weeks. Since the Rams have a Bye in Week 11, the 49ers will be their fourth game. That means Nacua is automatically ruled out of that Week 14 showdown with the 49ers.
Rams wide receiver Davante Adams, who led the NFL in touchdown catches a season ago, is also on IR
and expected to miss an extended period that goes beyond the Rams' game vs. the 49ers. He'll be eligible to return by then, but his hamstring injury may prevent him from returning by then.
Without Nacua and Adams the Rams roll out a very thin receiving corps headlined by Tutu Atwell.
The 49ers will surely be fine with missing Nacua. The fourth-year WR has historically crushed the 49ers secondary. In six games against them he has 46 receptions for 508 yards and three touchdowns. His 17-game pace in those six games is 130 receptions, 1,439 yards and nine touchdowns.
This season Nacua was cruising to another monster year. In seven games he hauled in 70 catches for 715 yards and four touchdowns.
More 49ers: 2 major injury concerns hit 49ers 2nd Week 10 practice report
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers catch huge break for game vs. Rams as star WR hits IR
