FANTASY FOOTBALL VANS DID NOT MAKE THEM DANCE (PUKA NACUA)
FANTASY FOOTBALL
VANS DID NOT MAKE THEM DANCE
(PUKA NACUA)
By Muntradamus
BEAST DOME NATION.
I got an E-Mail from someone who used the message feature on the side of BEAST DOME that I felt is only right that I address to you all. I will always own up to any bad call I have (which is very rare to come across), but at least let me explain why the result did not work out.
Yes, I was NOT on the Puka Nacua bandwagon this season. A big reason I was not on that bandwagon is because I was on the Van Jefferson bandwagon this preseason. I thought it only made sense that the team-leading WR of a year ago, and a player the Rams desperately want to turn into a key part of this offense for a couple of years as they spent a 2nd round pick on him. I figured in year three, with a lot of experience already, the pathway was clear for Van Jefferson not only to be the WR2 for the Rams, but a good sleeper you can get in the double-digit rounds that could produce like a solid WR3.
At first it appeared that could be the case, especially with Kupp set to miss the first four games. But the appearance faded away very fast. Puka shot out of the cannon instantly, looking like the favorite weapon for Matt Stafford, with Cooper Kupp out. Not just Brett Rypien’s favorite weapon during the preseason, who was throwing TDs to Puka this preseason, I thought when watching Puka in the preseason he is only getting these touches because they wanted to see what they had with him, and it was against second stringers.
After a big week 1 for Puka and Stafford, I figured order would be restored when Kupp returned. Puka would go back to being a role player, Van Jefferson would still be the deep threat, but no, that is not what happened. Rams changed their offensive philosophy, even making Kupp a bit more of a deep threat than usual, and Puka remained in the 2021 Cooper Kupp role. Tutu was also outperforming Van Jefferson and looking more useful.
Eventually, Van Jefferson was traded for peanuts to the Falcons so there would not be a log jam at WR for the Rams, and the Rams offense is the best Rams offense we have seen since their Super Bowl in 2021/2022. As I mentioned a few weeks ago in Week 16 before their Thursday Night game, “even better than that offense.”
In conclusion, I was not right on Puka but the truth is, nobody was. Nobody was drafting Puka at all, or telling you to draft him. Sheep were hyping up Jonathan Mingo way before they would even mention, better yet even think about Puka Nacua. He was on the Waiver Wire in nearly 99% of leagues, and at that point, the talking heads said to go get him. The Sheep liked what they saw after Week 1, but I figured order would be restored in LA when Kupp returned, it did not work out in that direction. Resulting into Van Jefferson being the first young WR to lead his team in receiving in his second season, and then basically released the following year.
Before you throw me at the stake, Puka did have a lot of terrible games this season, especially this stretch below right here after Van Jefferson was traded. Playing like a WR4 who could be a WR2, but now it is all systems go as he has put up 10+ Points in Standard leagues 4 of the past 6 Weeks (Dec/Jan).
PUKA WEEK 6-12
PLAYOFF PACKAGES
