Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is officially inactive for Monday night’s game against the New York Giants because of a hip injury, turning a late-week availability question into a confirmed absence for the Rams’ offense.
The Rams announced Nacua among their inactives before kickoff. NFL.com and the Associated Press also confirmed the decision. Nacua had been listed as questionable after missing practice late in the week.
What changed with Puka Nacua
The key update is that Nacua went from uncertain to unavailable. FSN previously covered Nacua being listed as questionable after missing a second straight practice, when the Rams were still leaving the door open for him to play.
That door is now closed for Week 2. Los Angeles will face the Giants without its leading receiver from last season and one of Matthew Stafford’s most important chain-moving targets.
The Rams are thin at wide receiver
Nacua is not the only Rams receiver unavailable Monday night. The team also listed Jordan Whittington inactive with a quadriceps injury. That leaves veteran Davante Adams at the top of a thinner receiving rotation, with players such as Konata Mumpfield, Xavier Smith and Tutu Atwell positioned for larger roles.
The absence changes how Los Angeles can attack the Giants. Nacua’s ability to win underneath, create yards after the catch and work through contact gives the Rams a versatile option against man and zone coverage. Without him, Sean McVay may need to spread those targets across multiple receivers and lean more heavily on the tight ends.
Why the timing matters for Matthew Stafford
Stafford enters the game without his most productive receiver from 2025, and the Rams are facing a Giants defense that has already had to shuffle its own secondary because of injuries.
That creates an unusual matchup: Los Angeles is short-handed at receiver, while New York is also missing defensive backs. The Rams still have enough veteran firepower to move the ball, but Nacua’s absence removes the player who most consistently gives Stafford an answer when a play breaks down or a third-down throw has to be made in traffic.
Davante Adams moves to the center of the passing game
Adams was already expected to command significant volume. With Nacua inactive, the Rams have even more reason to feature him on intermediate routes, red-zone concepts and isolation opportunities.
The secondary receivers now matter more as well. If the Giants can tilt coverage toward Adams without being punished elsewhere, Los Angeles could have a harder time maintaining its preferred passing-game spacing.
Aaron Donald’s return provides a separate boost
The Rams do get one major star back Monday night: Aaron Donald is active for his first NFL appearance since the end of the 2023 season. FSN covered Sean McVay’s confirmation that Donald would return against New York.
Donald’s comeback does not solve the receiving shortage, but it gives Los Angeles a major defensive reinforcement on a night when the offense must operate without Nacua.
What to watch after Monday night
The next question is whether Nacua’s hip injury is a one-game absence or something that affects preparation for Week 3. His practice participation later in the week will be the first meaningful indicator.
For now, the Rams have made the Week 2 decision: Nacua will not play, and the offense must redistribute one of its largest target shares against the Giants.