2026 Week 5 Fantasy Football Breaking News: Puka Nacua Returns, Aaron Donald Ruled Out vs. Eagles

The Los Angeles Rams enter Week 5 with some good news and some bad news, according to ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports). Head coach Sean McVay confirmed Friday that receiver Puka Nacua will play against the Eagles after missing the last two games with a hip injury. Nacua carries no official game status. McVay did caution, however, that the team may monitor his snap count. At the same time, defensive tackle Aaron Donald has been ruled out with a back injury — he did not practice all week. Cornerback Jaylen Watson (shoulder) and tight end Terrance Ferguson (ankle) are also out. Tight end Colby Parkinson (knee/shoulder) is listed as questionable.

Puka Nacua

Nacua's return is the headline fantasy win here. He missed two games with a hip injury, and anyone who picked up his replacement over the last two weeks should expect a reduced role now that Nacua is back. McVay said Nacua "looked sharp" at practice Thursday, which is an encouraging sign for a full workload. The snap-count caveat adds a small layer of uncertainty — don't panic, but don't assume he plays 100% of snaps either. In both redraft and dynasty, he's worth starting where his pre-injury ranking had him, with modest caution on upside if snaps are limited.

Xavier Smith

Smith was waived by the Rams on Friday, per ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports), and Alex Bachman takes over as the team's punt returner. Smith's fantasy value was thin to begin with as a returner-only option. He's a drop or ignore in all formats now that he's off the roster entirely.