18-07-2025
Rams WR Puka Nacua was a first-down machine in 2024
Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua missed five of the first six games of the 2024 NFL season but still produced a sensational year with nearly 1,000 receiving yards on 79 receptions.
Part of how Nacua accomplished this feat is because of his ability to convert receptions into first downs. According to Fantasy Points Data, Nacua caught a pass that resulted in a first down on 17% of the routes he ran this past season. That number ranked No. 1 among all receivers in 2024, well ahead of other stalwarts like A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ja'Marr Chase.
Nacua is used to leading NFL receivers after a great production season, but this number shows why Matthew Stafford preferred passing the ball to him over others in 2024. Nacua simply got the job done and moved the chains.
Davante Adams, interestingly enough, did not make the top-16 list. That could partially be caused by the teams he was on in 2024 (the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders) or that his routes weren't necessarily always to the chains. He saw a lot of targets either well downfield or in the short-yardage, which don't always equate to first downs.
Nacua is a chain-mover, while the addition of Adams should only make life easier for Stafford on a down-to-down situation. It's night, though, to have a special talent at receiver and one that can be relied upon on a play-by-play basis.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams WR Puka Nacua was a first-down machine in 2024
