The Los Angeles Rams came into the 2026 NFL season as the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl this year. The Rams have gotten off to a slow start, losing two of their first three games, but they should be getting a boost this week as star wide receiver Puka Nacua is expected to play.
Nacua has missed the Rams' Week 2 and 3 games with hip and groin issues. He played in their Week 1 loss against the San Francisco 49ers and caught 5 passes for 74 yards in that game.
Nacua's return was the subject of a debate on ESPN between Stephen A. Smith and NFL analysts Dan Orlovsky and Marcus Spears. Smith raised the point that Nacua's status in the league as one of the best receivers meant that if he had any chance to play, he should play. Nacua did not play in the Rams' Week 2 game against the New York Giants or Week 3 against the Denver Broncos.
Orlovsky and Spears made the point that Nacua is one of the toughest players in the NFL and if he wasn't playing, it was because the Rams didn't want to take the chance of risking further injury that would take him out of additional games.
The discussion got heated at one point, because Orlovsky was shaking his head at Smith's perspective. The controversial commentator didn't seem to understand that Nacua's absence was due to his overall importance to his team and not because he wanted time off.
Nacua had 129 receptions for 1,715 yards with 10 touchdowns. Nacua is a two-time Pro Bowler and also a first-team All-Pro.