With the injury to Puka Nacua, fantasy football managers could be left with a void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury and players you can target on your fantasy football waiver wire this week. And check out all our fantasy football waiver wire advice for the week.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Injury Replacements

Injury Outlook

Puka Nacua (knee) exits game Sunday night, ruled out
Los Angeles Rams star receiver Puka Nacua exited the game with a knee injury and will not return to the contest versus the Detroit Lions.

Fantasy Impact

Nacua exits the game at the half with the score 10-3 as he deals with a knee ailment. He had four catches on as many targets for 35 yards and one carry for seven yards, good for a PPR total of 8.2. This moves WR Cooper Kupp into the sole WR1 role and elevates the roles of WRs Jordan Whittington, Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson. His situation needs monitoring going forward to see if he misses any extended time.

Jordan Epp – Jepp Sports

Waiver Wire Replacements to Target: Wide Receivers

Written by Derek Brown

Brandin Cooks (DAL): 32% rostered

• Next Opponents: NO, BAL, @NYG
• True value: $5
• Desperate Need: $7
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Cooks walks away from a tough Week 1 with a respectable 40 receiving yards and a score. He managed 1.33 yards per route run with a 21.8% target share (per PFF). Not too shabby considering that he faced one of the best outside corner duos in the NFL. Cooks is the clear No. 2 in this passing offense, and that distinction will be even more clear with Jake Ferguson now dealing with a knee injury. Cooks’ Week 1 performance inspires a tad more confidence if you’re in need of a flex play over the next three weeks, as Cooks is staring down three more tough matchups. Last year, the Saints, Ravens and Giants were all among the 10 stingiest secondaries in PPR points per target allowed to perimeter wide receivers.

Demarcus Robinson (LAR): 6% rostered

• Next Opponents: @ARI, SF, CHI
• True value: $5
• Desperate Need: $7
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: With Puka Nacua hurt, Robinson could see an elevated role while Nacua is out. Robinson was fantastic down the stretch last year. In Weeks 13-18, he went on a tear, ranking 36th in yards per route run, 28th in first downs per route run, and 26th in fantasy points per route run among 109 qualifying receivers (per Fantasy Points Data). Robinson could easily be the WR2 in the Rams’ offense. Stafford is a kingmaker, and Robinson could be a king in fantasy while Nacua is on the shelf.

Andrei Iosivas (CIN): 13% rostered

• Next Opponents: @KC, WAS, @CAR
• True value: $4
• Desperate Need: $6
• Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: Iosivas stepped into the starting lineup alongside Ja’Marr Chase in Week 1 with Tee Higgins out. While Iosivas commanded a strong 20.6% target share, he struggled with only 26 receiving yards (0.74 yards per route run). Cincinnati’s next opponent, New England, might not have a strong roster overall, but their secondary is stout. Better days are ahead for Iosivas and the Bengals’ offense. The Chiefs are also a brutal matchup next week, so I can understand benching him, but after that, Iosivas gets Washington and Carolina. Those are two pass defenses that it looks like we’ll be picking on this season.

Greg Dortch (ARI): 5% rostered

• Next Opponents: LAR, DET, WAS
• True value: $3
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Dortch played only 60% of the snaps in Week 1, but that didn’t stop him from ranking second on the team in targets (25.8% target share) and leading the way in receiving yards (47). Dortch’s 1.80 yards per route run was impressive. I don’t foresee him out producing Marvin Harrison Jr. on a weekly basis, but that doesn’t mean Dortch can’t be a strong flex play, especially in PPR leagues. After his matchup with the Rams, Dortch gets the Lions and Commanders, who allowed the sixth-most and THE most PPR points per target to slot receivers last year (per Fantasy Points Data).

Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG): 10% rostered

• Next Opponents: @WAS, @CLE, DAL
• True value: $3
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Robinson might not be a sexy add, but as we always say, “Volume is king in fantasy.” Robinson got the volume in Week 1 with a monstrous 28.5% target share (12 targets). He managed this while only playing 67% of the Giants’ offensive snaps. When Robinson was on the field, Daniel Jones was looking for him immediately. Robinson offers immediate flex appeal in PPR leagues next week against a Swiss cheese secondary in Washington that allowed the most PPR points per target last year (per Fantasy Points Data).

Alec Pierce (IND): 2% rostered

• Next Opponents: @GB, CHI, PIT
• True value: $3
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Pierce erupted in Week 1 with 125 receiving yards and a score on three targets. Will he reproduce such numbers for the rest of the season? Likely no, but after an offseason full of strong camp reports, this is notable. In Week 1, Pierce was the only other full-time receiver in the Colts’ offense outside of Michael Pittman. You might be wondering why I included Pierce here and not A.D. Mitchell, but Mitchell wasn’t a full-time player in Week 1, as he split slot duties. Once Josh Downs returns, I worry that Mitchell heads to the bench. Pierce could stack some more standout weeks over his next three games against the Packers’ and Steelers’ secondaries. These two pass defenses allowed the sixth-highest and the fourth-highest completion rates on deep passes last year (per Fantasy Points Data).

Jakobi Meyers (LVR): 48% rostered

• Next Opponents: @BAL, CAR, CLE
• True value: $2
• Desperate Need: $3
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Meyers’ Week 1 stat line wasn’t pretty, as he finished with 61 scoreless receiving yards while drawing only a 9% target share. Meyers remains the Raiders’ only other full-time receiver besides Davante Adams (although he was out-targeted by rookie TE Brock Bowers). I have faith in Meyers’ talent, as he still produced 1.74 yards per route run (per PFF) in Week 1. Meyers was the WR24 in fantasy points per game last year while ranking 29th in first downs per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). I don’t want to dismiss that type of production after just one week of football. He should have some flex-worthy weeks upcoming.

Josh Reynolds (DEN): 1% rostered

• Next Opponents: PIT, @TB, @NYJ
• True value: $1
• Desperate Need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: The Denver offense looks like a possible dumpster fire this season, but volume is volume, and Reynolds earned it in Week 1. Reynolds is probably only a deep league add, but he’s still viable. In Week 1, he commanded a 19% target share while leading the team in receiving yards. His upcoming matchups are brutal, but again, target volume is critical in deeper formats.