The Los Angeles Rams had a rough start to the 2023 season, starting 3-6 through the first half of the year. However, they turned things around rapidly, and finished the season on an impressive run, while being able to land the sixth seed in the NFC and make the playoffs.
A large part of their resurgence was from the team's passing game. Kyren Williams turned in an excellent season as a rusher, but without Matthew Stafford throwing to guys like Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, they couldn't have made it as far as they did.
Speaking of that combination, Rams' beat writer Adam Grosbard spoke a bit about the fit between those two with NBC Sports:
Yeah, I see this as a 1A/1B and trying to predict who's going to get more targets, more yards, all of that is going to be really difficult to do.
Grosbard has a solid point here, as predicting a clear number one between these guys would be hard to do. Both of these players have proved now that they can produce at a high level, and it's tough to predict who will end up being better in 2024.
Both Kupp and Nacua Could be Elite in 2024
While the Rams might not know who their current first option is, it's not a bad problem to have
The truth is, it would be very hard to find a team with a better receiving duo than the Rams right now.
Kupp has missed some games with injuries over the past couple of seasons, but he's still managed to produce while he's on the field. In his last full season, he put together one of the best seasons for a receiver ever, leading the league in multiple stat categories.
GIVEMESPORT Key Stat: During the Rams' Super Bowl season in 2021-22, Kupp was unstoppable. He led the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947), receiving touchdowns (16), and receiving yards per game (114.5). Kupp was rewarded for his efforts by winning the Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Nacua was dominant in his rookie season, and was important during the time Kupp missed with injuries. Nacua finished just shy of 1,500 receiving yards, and brought in 105 receptions, with six touchdowns. He instantly became a contributor for the team, and finished second in offensive rookie of the year voting, while also being named a Second Team All-Pro.
|
Kupp and Nacua in 2023 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Kupp |
Nacua |
|
Games |
12 |
17 |
|
Receptions |
59 |
105 |
|
Receiving Yards |
737 |
1,486 |
|
Yards per Reception |
12.5 |
14.2 |
|
Receiving TDs |
5 |
6 |
|
Receiving Yards per Game |
61.4 |
87.4 |
While Nacua was impressive in 2023, Grosbard did suggest that Nacua still has a little bit more to prove before being ranked above Kupp:
There's a difference between a guy going into his second year versus someone like Cooper who's, you know, had his triple crown season, Super Bowl MVP, all that, you know... It's a different level of someone who's been in the league for a while, knows how to take care of their body, versus someone who's getting their first real offseason.
Grosbard does make some solid points here. Although Kupp has struggled to stay healthy over the past couple of seasons, his last full season was incredible. While Nacua showed a ton of promise in his rookie season, he's still got a bit to prove, hence Grosbard's 1A and 1B rankings.
Either way, having to decide which of your two elite receivers is the best sounds like a pretty good problem to have.
Source: NBC Sports
