Tutu Atwell or Puka Nacua? Which Rams WR is a better fantasy football replacement for Cooper Kupp?

Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua proved that Cooper Kupp’s latest injury doesn’t spell doom for the Los Angeles Rams. Both receivers were instrumental in the Rams’ 30-13 Week 1 road victory against division rivals Seattle Seahawks.

With Kupp sidelined until at least Week 4 after being placed on injured reserve, both Atwell and Nacua could have sustainable fantasy football impact. However, which of the two young wideouts will give more points for your fantasy squad moving forward?

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Tutu Atwell Fantasy Projection for 2023

Fantasy football websites project that Tutu Atwell will have 410-430 receiving yards and one or two touchdowns this season. However, he has collected over 25 percent of his projected total after Week 1. The former Louisville standout finished with six catches for 119 yards against the Seattle Seahawks.

It’s the perfect start for a wide receiver who had only 298 receiving yards and a touchdown in 13 games last season. Barring any injury, Atwell will likely surpass the expectations that fantasy experts established for him.

Atwell’s emergence will be a bonus for the Los Angeles Rams until Cooper Kupp returns. With him and Puka Nacua being legitimate threats, opposing defenses would think twice about devoting more personnel around Kupp.

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Puka Nacua Fantasy Projection for 2023

Meanwhile, the rookie wide receiver from Brigham Young University is projected to finish with 260-310 yards and a touchdown in 2023. Like Atwell, he had 119 yards on 10 catches versus Seattle. He could have had a touchdown catch if Matthew Stafford had not overthrown during a perfect sequence.

Stafford looked for him 15 times, and some of those throws were near-catches. He could have had more receiving yards in his NFL debut if he held on to the ball on those opportunities. Still, he was impressive, especially in gaining yards after the catch.

Succeeding opponents will respect his game even more now that they’ve seen what he can do on the field. Therefore, the challenge is to run crisp routes to keep open. Since defenses respect Stafford’s strong arm, Nacua can have success by exploiting the gaps within defensive formations.

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Tutu Atwell vs. Puka Nacua: Which Rams WR is a better pick with Cooper Kupp injured?

After one impressive game, there’s the temptation to overhype Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua. But they will be in tough battles against the San Francisco 49ers and the Cincinnati Bengals in Weeks 2 and 3. The Rams will also face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5.

During these games, Atwell and Nacua must prove they are for real. But after Week 1, Nacua looks to be the better option because Stafford treats him as his primary target. Pick him up if he’s still available in your fantasy leagues.