Who Should I Start? Puka Nacua or Ricky Pearsall

Monday, March 24, 7:30 PM

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua said on the "Join The Lobby" podcast that he would like to retire from the NFL at the age of 30. It would mean that the 23-year-old (24 in May) pass-catcher would have six or seven more years of football left in him. After being selected in the fifth round (177th overall) in 2023, Nacua has been lights-out his first two professional seasons with a combined 184 catches on 266 targets for 2,476 yards and nine touchdowns in 28 regular-season starts. Barring an injury, he should be an elite receiver in the NFL for years to come, especially now that Cooper Kupp is no longer in L.A. Nacua did miss five games in the first half of the 2025 campaign due to a knee injury, but on a per-game basis, he was even more productive for fantasy managers. Even with Davante Adams essentially replacing Kupp, Nacua should be a target hog and a strong WR1 target in fantasy drafts.

Sunday, January 5, 10:47 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall followed last week's breakout game with another strong showing in Sunday's 47-24 Week 18 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. The Arizona native caught six of eight targets for 69 yards, including a six-yard touchdown grab on a contested slant pattern from backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Pearsall, who started his 49ers career on a terrifying note -- being shot in the chest during an armed robbery attempt -- had an up-and-down year once he debuted in Week 7. Pearsall produced four fantasy-useful performances in 2024 but seven in which he was held below six half-PPR points. With momentum and the validation of his first-round pedigree this season, Pearsall could be an intriguing late-round fantasy pick in 2025 depending on the health of Brandon Aiyuk's knee, and if Pearsall can move past Jauan Jennings and/or Deebo Samuel Sr. in the 49ers' hierarchy.