Rams' Puka Nacua Has an AC Sprain, Expected to Play with Shoulder Injury vs. Ravens

Breakout rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua suffered an AC joint sprain on Sunday, although he isn't expected to miss time.

Nacua will rest early in the week, although he'll be expected to suit up for the Los Angeles Rams' upcoming matchup against the Baltimore Ravens according to head coach Sean McVay.

The 22-year-old sustained the injury in the second quarter of Los Angeles' Week 13 matchup with the Cleveland Browns, although he returned after halftime. He finished the contest with 105 yards and a touchdown on just four catches.

The former fifth-round pick has already emerged as one of the league's best rookies, totaling 1,029 yards and four touchdowns in just 12 appearances. He became Matthew Stafford's top target to begin the year with star Cooper Kupp on IR and hasn't looked back since.

If Nacua were to maintain his average of 85.8 yards per game through the rest of the season, he'll put up the second-most receiving yards by a rookie in NFL history. He's also started to become a threat on the ground recently, rushing for 41 yards over the past three weeks after totaling just two carries for four yards in his first nine starts.

Following the Rams' win over Cleveland, McVay marveled at the rookie's tremendous catch despite the injury while also complimenting his competitive nature.

"It was his shoulder and his rib," he said, per Cameron DaSilva of Yahoo Sports. "I mean, what an unbelievable catch he makes on the sideline. I thought he was dead and then he comes back to life."

"He brings an energy to our team that I think you can all feel when you watch. It's why he's so fun as a competitor, whether he's got the ball, whether he doesn't have the ball," McVay later added.

Sitting at 6-6, the Rams are looking to go on a run and secure their first playoff berth since the team's Super Bowl-winning season in 2021. Los Angeles will need Nacua against a tough Ravens secondary that owns the second-best pass defense in the NFL.