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Rams’ Puka Nacua can’t be stopped

Originally posted on EasySportz | By James O'Donnell | Last updated Oct 2, 2025 1:49 AM ET

Los Angeles receiver opens third season leading the NFL in receptions and yards

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Puka Nacua isn’t a surprise anymore. Two seasons into his NFL career, the league knows exactly who he is. And four weeks into his third season, no one has slowed him down.

The Los Angeles wideout has been the most productive pass-catcher in football through the first month of 2025. He leads the NFL in receptions (42) and receiving yards (503), numbers that place him ahead of every other receiver in the sport. On Sunday, he turned in his best game yet: 13 catches for 170 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the year in a 27-20 win over Indianapolis.

It wasn’t an outlier. It was confirmation.

Production Every Week

Nacua has stacked performances with machine-like consistency:

Week 1 vs. Houston: 10 catches, 130 yards, while playing with stitches on his arm.
Week 2 at Tennessee: 8 catches, 91 yards, plus a touchdown on a jet sweep.
Week 3 at Philadelphia: 11 catches, 112 yards.
Week 4 vs. Indianapolis: 13 catches, 170 yards, and his first receiving touchdown of 2025.

He has posted at least eight catches and 90 yards in every game this season. His 42 receptions tie him with Michael Thomas (2018) and Cooper Kupp (2022) for the most by any player through the first four games of a season in NFL history.

Puka Nacua has played 32 career games.

He’s gone for 100+ total yards in 17 of them.

As a 5th-round pick at No. 177 overall, more than half his NFL games have been over 100 yards.

Just absurd! pic.twitter.com/2V2r7WkBAi
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 29, 2025

By the Numbers

Advanced tracking data highlights just how dominant Nacua has been. He owns a 37.6 percent target share, the highest in the league. More than a third of all Matthew Stafford’s throws have gone his way.

He ranks among the leaders in yards per route run and expected points added (EPA) generated by a wide receiver. He also has 170 yards after the catch, one of the best totals in the NFL. Nacua isn’t just catching passes — he’s manufacturing extra yardage, turning routine completions into drive-extending plays.

The Style That Works

Nacua wins in multiple ways. His footwork creates separation on quick breaks. His balance allows him to shed tackles and stay upright. His strength and timing make contested catches look routine. Whether it’s a slant, an in-breaking dig, or a sideline out, he turns small windows into big gains.

What makes him stand out is reliability. Every week, every quarter, every drive — the ball finds No. 12, and production follows. He has become the type of receiver who can’t be erased from a game plan, no matter the coverage or defensive look.

From Record Rookie to Standard-Setter

Nacua broke into the NFL in 2023 by setting rookie records with 105 receptions and 1,486 yards. In 2024, even while limited to 11 games, he still posted 990 yards. Now, in his third season, he’s taken the step from breakout star to league pace-setter.

He has built on the traits that made his rookie year historic — precision, toughness and versatility — and elevated them with a consistency few receivers in today’s NFL can match.

The Verdict So Far

Through four games, the numbers place Nacua in rare company. He’s tied for the most receptions through a season’s first month in league history. He leads the NFL in receiving yards. He is near the top in efficiency metrics and among the best in yards after the catch.

The résumé after one month doesn’t just suggest a hot start. It suggests something more: that Nacua is playing like the NFL’s premier wide receiver.

Right now, Puka Nacua isn’t just producing — he’s setting the standard.

This article first appeared on EasySportz and was syndicated with permission.

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