Luther Burden III or Puka Nacua: Who Should You Start?
Historical comparison from 2026 Week 3 — one of these players isn’t on the current board.
Start Nacua — the projection and consensus rank edges are too wide to ignore.
Puka Nacua projects 19.9 to Burden's 11.2 and is the higher consensus play (WR2 to WR27). Burden's edge is availability, a clean report to Nacua's Questionable. The gap is wide.
Luther Burden III
6.68.911.2 Projected Points
Puka Nacua
12.716.319.9 Projected Points
Why Luther Burden III
Toss-UpWR2 and outside starter opposite Rome Odunze. Explosive yards-after-catch threat with manufactured-touch usage.
Toss-up — WR27 consensus, projects WR39 this week: 24.0 implied team total, 21% target share.
- PHI ranks 12 of 32 against WRs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 2-game sample).
- Vegas implies 24.0 team points as 1.5-point favorites.
- Listed WR-2 on the latest depth chart with a 65% snap share.
Why Puka Nacua
StartWR1 and offensive engine. Physical route technician with elite yards-after-catch and massive target share.
Start — every-week WR start at consensus WR2: DEN is the 5th-toughest matchup vs WRs, 24.3 implied team total.
- Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
- DEN ranks 5 of 32 against WRs (one of the tougher matchups, 2-game sample).
- Vegas implies 24.3 team points as 3.0-point favorites.
- Listed WR on the latest depth chart with a 70% snap share.
Latest on Nacua
The team estimated Nacua would not have practiced Wednesday if the Rams had held a practice.
McVay says Nacua's injury not 'long-term' concern, but Rams being cautiousESPN · Sep 23, 2026Nacua's Week 3 availability is uncertain, with McVay unsure whether he will play.
McVay says Nacua's injury not 'long-term' concern, but Rams being cautiousESPN · Sep 23, 2026Puka Nacua was inactive for the Rams' Monday night game despite participating in a pregame warmup.
Rams' McVay unsure about Nacua's status for Week 3 vs. BroncosESPN · Sep 22, 2026Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was inactive for Monday night's game against the New York Giants.
Inactives for Monday Night Football between the Rams and the Giants in Week 2 at SoFi Stadium.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Luther Burden III | Puka Nacua |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 6.68.911.2 | 12.716.319.9 |
| Consensus rank | WR27 | WR2 |
| Opponent vs position | PHI · 12 of 322-game sample | DEN · 5 of 322-game sample |
| Receptions | 7 of 32 | 3 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 14 of 32 | 3 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 15 of 32 | 7 of 32 |
| Targets | 7 of 32 | 7 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 15 of 32 | 7 of 32 |
| Target share | 21% | 32% |
| Reception share | 20% | 26% |
| Implied total · spread | 24.0-1.5 | 24.3-3.0 |
| Depth chart | WR2 | WR1 |
| Snap share | 65% | 70% |
| Injury designation | — | Questionable |
| Start/Sit record | 0–1 | — |
Recent form
Luther Burden III — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs MIN | 3.24.76.2 |
| Week 1 | vs CAR | 4.57.09.5 |
Puka Nacua — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs NYG | 0.00.00.0 |
| Week 1 | vs SF | 7.49.912.4 |
Signal breakdown
- 11.2 vs 19.9 projected PPR pointsPuka Nacua +
- Rank 27 vs 2Puka Nacua +
- Opponent DvP rank 12 vs 5 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 24.0 vs 24.3 team pointsPuka Nacua +
- no designation vs QuestionableLuther Burden III +
- 65% vs 70% snap sharePuka Nacua +
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Burden comparisons
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs PHIJ. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs NYJ
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs PHIR. OdunzeRome OdunzeWRCHIvs PHI
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs PHIC. TateCarnell TateWRTENvs NYG
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs PHIM. Harrison Jr.Marvin Harrison Jr.WRARIvs SF
This week’s toughest calls
- K. Walker IIIKenneth Walker IIIRBKCvs MIA
K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs DEN
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs DENQ. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CAR
- Q. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CARC. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEN
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEND. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHI
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHIB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs NE
- B. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs NEB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs MIN
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PIT
D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DEN
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DENC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATL
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATLP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NE
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NEM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs ATL
- M. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs ATLQ. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs BUF
- Q. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs BUFJ. DownsJosh DownsWRINDvs HOU
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs GB
G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARI
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARIS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NYJ
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NYJT. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs ATL
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs ATLT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIA
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIAJ. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs BAL
- J. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs BALI. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs TEN
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs BAL
J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs BUF
- J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs BUFT. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs NE
- T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs NEB. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs ARI
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs ARIP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs MIA
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs MIAB. NixBo NixQBDENvs LAR
- B. NixBo NixQBDENvs LARM. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs DEN
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs ARI
J. BatesJake BatesKDETvs NYJ
- J. BatesJake BatesKDETvs NYJH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs MIA
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs MIAT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs DAL
- T. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs DALC. BoswellChris BoswellKPITvs CIN
- C. BoswellChris BoswellKPITvs CINC. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs MIN
- C. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs MINT. SmackTrey SmackKGBvs ATL
- Panthers D/STPanthers D/STDSTCARvs CLE
49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs ARI
- 49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs ARIGiants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs TEN
- Giants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs TENLions D/STLions D/STDSTDETvs NYJ
- Lions D/STLions D/STDSTDETvs NYJSaints D/STSaints D/STDSTNOvs LV
- Saints D/STSaints D/STDSTNOvs LVTitans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYG
- Titans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYGBills D/STBills D/STDSTBUFvs LAC
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs MIND. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DEN
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NEJ. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs CIN
- C. HubbardChuba HubbardRBCARvs CLE
C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATL - C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATLC. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEN
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHIT. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PIT
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PITT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIA
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARID. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs ARI
- D. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs ARII. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs TEN
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