Rams WR Puka Nacua can break one of NFL's oldest records in Week 18

Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua is having one of the best rookie campaigns in NFL history and has a good chance to break one of the league's oldest records against the San Francisco 49ers (12-4) in Week 18.

Nacua has 1,445 receiving yards on the year, which puts him just 29 yards away from breaking the single-season rookie receiving yards record set by Houston Oilers WR Bill Groman (1,473) in 1960.

A couple of players have come close to breaking it in recent years, such as Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase (1,455) in 2021 and Vikings WR Justin Jefferson (1,400) in 2020. But the 63-year record may finally be broken come Sunday.

Nacua has topped 29 yards in 14 of his 16 games this season and the last time he played San Francisco in Week 2, he had a season-high 15 catches for 147 yards.

Head coach Sean McVay is aware that Nacua is close to making history as a rookie and seems he'll do his best to help him break the record.

"The best part about it is you can fight for [Offensive Rookie of the Year] while still doing what's best for the team. Those aren't mutually exclusive. Those go in alignment with one another," McVay said. "I think it's really cool."

McVay does have a difficult decision to make this week, however. Los Angeles has already clinched a playoff berth and could decide to sit its starters. The Rams would risk falling to the No. 7 seed, but health is far more important this time of year.

"We're going to do everything we can to try and go win this football game. How exactly that affects the specifics are things we're working through," McVay added. "The most important thing is to make sure we're ready to go for that wild-card game."

It will be interesting to see what McVay and his coaching staff decide to do. But don't be surprised if the team plays Nacua until he breaks the record and then joins the rest of the starters on the bench for the rest of the game.