Kupp among NFL’s leading receivers in red zone...

Cooper Kupp among NFL's leading receivers in the red zone
Cameron DaSilva

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cooper Kupp was just a third-round pick, but based on the hype surrounding him this offseason, you’d have thought he was taken in the top 15 of the draft. The rookie has been just about everything the Rams hoped he would be – a good slot receiver with solid quickness and reliable hands – despite dropping a few passes that could have easily been caught.

Jared Goff has consistently gone back to Kupp week in and week out, though, which is great to see. That’s especially evident in the red zone where the rookie has been one of the top receivers in the NFL.


On the season, Kupp has been targeted 12 times in the red zone. That ranks fourth in the league, only behind Larry Fitzgerald, Dez Bryant and Davante Adams. He’s caught six of those passes, which is tied for fifth among all NFL players.

His 54.6 percent catch rate leaves plenty to be desired – Jordy Nelson and Zach Ertz have caught 77.8 percent, which is No. 1 among players with at least nine targets – but a few of those passes have been Goff’s fault. The two are still building a rapport with each other, which is sure to improve throughout the season and as the years go by.

Where Kupp excels is gaining yards in the red zone, where he ranks second with 62 yards on six catches. Three of those receptions have gone for touchdowns, as well.


To put into perspective just how frequently Goff looks Kupp’s way, consider this. He’s received 33.3 percent of the Rams’ red zone targets, which is fourth in the NFL. Only DeAndre Hopkins (40 percent), Bryant (38.7) and Brandon LaFell (37.5) rank higher than Kupp.

There’s still plenty of room for the rookie receiver to grow, which is a great sign. It’s now just a matter of him coming down with some of those tough catches in traffic.