Puka Nacua has established himself as one of the NFL’s top wide receivers, and the Los Angeles Rams have leaned heavily on him to carry their passing game. That reliance has only increased since Davante Adams suffered a hamstring injury in Week 6, leaving the Rams thin at wide receiver behind Nacua.

The workload became even more concerning in Week 9. Nacua suffered a knee injury on Los Angeles’ final offensive snap of its 20-13 win over the Washington Commanders, taking a handoff for five yards on third-and-11 before absorbing a low hit. The Rams did not initially believe he had suffered a torn ACL, but Nacua is scheduled to undergo additional testing to determine the severity of the injury.

For former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, the injury only reinforced his concern that Los Angeles has been asking too much of its star receiver.

Chris Simms Calls Out Rams Over Puka Nacua’s Usage

Heavy usage is nothing new for Nacua. The 2023 fifth-round pick quickly developed into one of the league’s most productive receivers, and the Rams have consistently made him a focal point of their offense.

His workload has climbed even higher this season. Nacua has averaged more than 13 targets per game, including a 17-catch performance on 24 targets earlier this year. Since Adams went down, Nacua has been targeted 10, 12, and 19 times in the Rams’ three games.

Against Washington, that dependence was particularly clear. Nacua caught 14 passes for a season-high 150 yards and a touchdown on 19 targets while also adding 20 rushing yards on two carries. His second rushing attempt came on the Rams’ final offensive snap and resulted in the knee injury that prompted postgame testing.

Simms believes the Rams are repeatedly putting Nacua in vulnerable situations because they lack dependable alternatives.

“They’re gonna kill Puka Nacua. They have nobody else to throw to, (to) give the ball to. Every go-to moment, like throw it to him into a crowd of people and let him just get freaking crushed, and he’ll catch it and flex and whatever else,” Simms said. “We know how physical he plays, and then they put him in the most vulnerable physical positions all the time.”

“Nobody gets put in more physical vulnerable positions than Puka Nacua, and so they got nothing else,” Simms added. “With Davante (Adams) hurt and people kind of figuring out how they’re playing right now, it’s just like it’s go to the well one too many times.”

Simms pointed to a third-and-11 play as another example of the Rams repeatedly turning to Nacua in high-leverage situations. Nacua converted the first down but took another significant hit in the process.

His concern extends beyond Nacua’s individual workload. Simms believes the Rams entered the season without enough proven depth behind their top receivers, leaving the offense vulnerable once Adams went down.

“We all saw that receiver (room) was thin as hell for the Los Angeles Rams,” Simms said. We said it all offseason, ‘One injury, and we’re gonna go, huh? This offense isn’t all that good,’ and that’s kind of what’s going on here.”

The lack of alternatives was evident against Washington. Outside of Nacua, Rams wide receivers Konata Mumpfield and Tutu Atwell combined for just four receptions and 36 yards.

The Rams’ offense currently ranks No. 14 in the NFL through Week 9, according to PFN’s Offense Impact Rankings, after finishing inside the top seven in two of the previous three seasons.

Nacua’s health now adds another layer of urgency. With Adams already sidelined and Nacua accounting for a massive share of the passing offense, the Rams could soon be forced to find out just how much production they can generate without one or both of their star receivers available.