Should I start Puka Nacua or Ja'Marr Chase in Week 8?

Where the draft room stands

Live drafts hold no current pick on Puka Nacua, and the board ranks him 26th overall on the rest of his evidence.

In 2QB drafts he goes at ADP 6.

Live drafts hold no current pick on Ja'Marr Chase, and the board ranks him 30th overall on the rest of his evidence.

In 2QB drafts he goes at ADP 5.

The market-based projections

The market-based projection for Puka Nacua is 4.9 PPR points a game off 1 market across 6 market sources. That is 30 percent of what a wide receiver's projection needs, so it is a fragment of one rather than a projection.

The market-based projection for Ja'Marr Chase is 4.4 PPR points a game off 1 market across 7 market sources. That is 30 percent of what a wide receiver's projection needs, so it is a fragment of one rather than a projection.

Puka Nacua's projection is not complete, so the two figures are not set against each other here.

This season through Week 7

Through Week 7, Puka Nacua has been on the field for 85 percent of LAR snaps, drawn 32 percent of the targets and had 17 percent of the red zone chances.

He has taken 17 of the offence's 39 third down targets, had 3 of its 17 chances inside the five and seen 6 of its 22 two minute targets.

His 62 targets have averaged 8.9 air yards.

In Week 5 against BUF he carried 2 times for 9 yards, caught 17 of 24 targets for 138 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

In Week 6 against ARI he caught 6 of 7 targets for 80 yards and did not score.

In Week 7 against LV he carried 2 times for 10 yards, caught 8 of 10 targets for 68 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

Through Week 7, Ja'Marr Chase has been on the field for 77 percent of CIN snaps, drawn 21 percent of the targets and had 14 percent of the red zone chances.

He has taken 11 of the offence's 53 third down targets, had 3 of its 15 chances inside the five and seen 4 of its 36 two minute targets.

His 45 targets have averaged 9.3 air yards.

In Week 4 against JAX he caught 3 of 3 targets for 27 yards and did not score.

In Week 5 against MIA he caught 6 of 10 targets for 77 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

In Week 7 against BAL he caught 5 of 7 targets for 62 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025 Puka Nacua played 16 games and scored 375.0 PPR points, 23.4 a game, finishing WR1.

He caught 129 of 166 targets for 1715 yards and 10 touchdowns, with 16 red zone targets.

That came to 10.4 targets a game, a 78 percent catch rate and 13.3 yards a catch.

He was on the field for 68 percent of the snaps in the games he played.

In 2025 Ja'Marr Chase played 16 games and scored 313.6 PPR points, 19.6 a game, finishing WR4.

He caught 125 of 185 targets for 1412 yards and 8 touchdowns, with 21 red zone targets.

That came to 11.6 targets a game, a 68 percent catch rate and 11.3 yards a catch.

He was on the field for 94 percent of the snaps in the games he played.

Both were available for 16 games that season.

Head to head

In 2025 Puka Nacua scored 23.4 PPR points a game and Ja'Marr Chase 19.6, 3.8 a game between them.

Puka Nacua finished WR1 that year and Ja'Marr Chase WR4.

Ja'Marr Chase had 19 more targets than Puka Nacua, 185 to 166.

Puka Nacua had 303 more receiving yards than Ja'Marr Chase, 1715 to 1412.

This season Puka Nacua holds the bigger snap share, 85 percent against 77 percent.

This season Puka Nacua holds the bigger target share, 32 percent against 21 percent.

Byes and availability

Puka Nacua is off in Week 11 and Ja'Marr Chase in Week 6, so either can cover the other's bye.