Rams targeting Davante Adams to return in Week 13 vs. Chiefs; Puka Nacua to miss 'significant' time

Sean McVay delivered a mix bag of news on Wednesday regarding injuries to the team's top two receivers. Davante Adams could be back sooner than expected from a hamstring injury. Puka Nacua, meanwhile, will remain sidelined for a "significant period of time" with knee and toe injuries. McVay: Adams’ return to face Chiefs ‘realistic’McVay announced the updates while speaking with reporters. Per McVay, Adams is on track to return on the early end of his 6-10 week injury timeline and could be back as soon as Week 13 for a showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs."We're optimistic Davante's return is sooner than later, which is a big deal to us,” McVay said, per the Associated Press. McVay went on to say that a return for Adams after Week 12 against the Packers would be “a realistic timeline for us."If that timeline holds true, that means that Adams will miss two more games with a ruptured hamstring that he sustained in Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams face the Cardinals again on Sunday, then have a Week 11 bye before facing the Packers in Week 12. An early return would be big for a Rams team that’s currently down its top two weapons in the passing game. Nacua won’t go on IR, but not expected back soonNacua sustained sprains to the MCL and PCL in his right knee and a turf toe injury in Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders. The Rams announced Monday that they expected to place the All-Pro receiver on injured reserve with the injuries. McVay said Wednesday that Nacua won’t go on injured reserve, but only due to “some semantics with the roster.”“He's still going to be out for a significant period of time," McVay said. What that timeline is precisely remains unclear, but McVay indicated that it could be at or beyond the minimum four-game absence required by placement on injured reserve. Davante Adams, left, is expected to return sooner from injury than Puka Nacua.Harry How via Getty ImagesAdams’ return in Week 13 could be pivotalIn total, Wednesday’s news was encouraging for the Rams. Nacua was expected to miss significant time, and nothing there has changed. That the Rams could get Adams back for the stretch run of the playoff race is a win. The long end of his initial timeline would have placed him back for Week 17 and the last two games of the regular season. If he returns against the Chiefs and stays healthy, he’d be available for the last six games of the season, providing Matthew Stafford with a top-shelf target in the passing game. A six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Adams was putting up Pro Bowl numbers prior to his injury. In six games, he tallied 30 catches for 480 yards and 4 touchdowns. If he returns in Week 13, he’ll do so as the clear No. 1 option in the passing game as long as Nacua remains sidelined.Rams in a fight to make the playoffsThe Rams need all the help they can get as they face a fight just to make the playoffs. With Sunday’s win, they improved to 5-4 for their first winning record of the season. But it’s not good enough to put them on the right side of the playoff picture. If they playoffs started this week, they’d be the ninth-place team in an NFC field in which seven teams make the postseason. The Rams have a path to the postseason that’s bolstered by the return of Myles Garrett, who tallied three sacks and a forced fumble against Washington in his first game back from knee surgery. Their hope is that the can make the field with Garrett, Nacua and Adams healthy as a threat to win the Super Bowl.