Los Angeles Rams

Puka Nacua

WR

doubtful

Tyler Higbee

TE

Higbee was held to just one catch for a second consecutive game, although his 13-yard grab set the Rams up on the Commanders' one yard line and led to a rushing touchdown by Blake Corum on the next play. Higbee has only four catches over his last three games, but he figures to play a larger role in the passing game for at least the next month while Puka Nacua (knee/toe) is on injured reserve. The Rams will hit the road for Week 10 against the Cardinals, whose defense has given up six touchdowns to opposing tight ends this season, which ranks 25th in the NFL.

Tutu Atwell

WR

Atwell ended up finishing second among Rams wide receivers in both targets and offensive snaps behind Puka Nacua. However, the Rams' offense will have to undergo a sizable overhaul in the absence of Nacua, who suffered a sprained PCL/MCL in his knee as well as turf toe during Sunday's win, with the superstar wide receiver expected to be sidelined for at least a month while on injured reserve, per Sarah Bishop of ESPN.com. Davante Adams (hamstring) is also on injured reserve, so that leaves Atwell and Konata Mumpfield as the top healthy wide receivers on the Rams' 53-man roster, and rookie sixth-rounder CJ Daniels is also in position for a larger role on offense. The Rams will face the Cardinals in Week 10, and Arizona's defense has given up 19 passing touchdowns on the year, which is second-most in the league behind Las Vegas' 20.

Konata Mumpfield

WR

Despite the lack of production, Mumpfield's 20 receiving yards ended up being second-most on the Rams behind Puka Nacua (150). The bigger news from Sunday's game was Nacua sustaining a PCL/MCL sprain in his knee and turf toe, and the superstar wide receiver is expected to miss at least one month while on injured reserve, per Sarah Bishop of ESPN.com. With Davante Adams (hamstring) also on IR until at least Week 11, that leaves the Rams with Mumpfield, Tutu Atwell and rookie sixth-rounder CJ Daniels as the top wide receivers for Matthew Stafford. The Rams hit the road for Week 10 against the Cardinals, whose defense has given up 19 passing touchdowns, which is second-most in the NFL behind the Raiders (20).

Jordan Whittington

WR

This is another blow to the Rams' receiving corps, as Davante Adams (hamstring) is still on IR and Puka Nacua (knee/toe) is slated to miss several weeks. Whittington would have had a chance to carve out a major role in Los Angeles' wideout room, but instead he'll be sidelined until at least Dec. 20. The Rams signed Xavier Smith off San Francisco's practice squad Tuesday to take Whittington's place on the 53-man roster and in the WR corps.

Xavier Smith

WR

Smith had been with the Rams early in the campaign before being waived Oct. 2. He subsequently signed with San Francisco's practice squad, where he had resided until Los Angeles brought him back into the fold Tuesday. Smith drew just one target (which he didn't catch) across 80 offensive snaps over his three games with the Rams in the early portion of the season, but he could immediately factor into the mix for the next several weeks, as Davante Adams (hamstring) is still on IR, Puka Nacua (knee) is slated to miss several weeks and Jordan Whittington (back) landed on injured reserve Tuesday. Smith could also be used as a returner in Whittington's absence.

Trent McDuffie

CB

questionable

Joe Cardona

LS

questionable

Terrance Ferguson

TE

After missing five consecutive games while recovering from an ankle sprain, Ferguson appeared poised to return from IR ahead of this past Sunday's game against the Commanders, but his activation was delayed after he pulled his hamstring while running a route during Friday's practice. McVay said after the practice that the setback would likely keep Ferguson out for "a couple more weeks." Ferguson's 21-day window will come to a close Nov. 25, so even if he doesn't resume practicing before then, he'll likely need to show the Rams that he's made at least some progress in his recovery from the hamstring injury to get activated. McVay said that he would be open to adding Ferguson back to the 53-man roster before he's ready to play, but the Rams may not be keen on essentially playing a man down for more than a game or two.

Colby Parkinson

TE

Parkinson ranked second on Los Angeles in receptions, though he didn't turn them into many yards. Still, it was his third straight contest with at least four catches, so Parkinson looks to be developing into a favorite target of QB Matthew Stafford. That could come in handy in Week 10 and beyond, as Stafford is going to need to turn to other pass catchers to help make up for the massive production being lost in the absence of Puka Nacua, who is expected to land on IR due to knee and turf-toe injuries.

Brandon McManus

PK

McManus' field goals were good from 33 and 20 yards, and he's now made all 13 of his kicks through three games with Los Angeles. With Puka Nacua (knee/toe) and Davante Adams (hamstring) now out for the foreseeable future, this offense figures to struggle to score points, downgrading McManus in the fantasy kicker rankings.

Steve Avila

G

McVay said part of the decision whether to place Avila on IR will be influenced by concerns that the team could use up all of its eight injured-reserve slots for players eligible to return later in the season. Either way, for as long as Avila remains sidelined, 2024 sixth rounder Beaux Limmer projects to fill in at left guard.

Darryl Peterson III

LB

Bill Murray

G

Ty Simpson

QB

Desjuan Johnson

DE

Keagen Trost

OT

Myles Garrett

DE

Making his return from a knee injury that had sidelined him since Week 1, Garrett made an immediate impact and accounted for three of the Rams' four sacks of Jayden Daniels on the afternoon, with Braden Fiske and Shaun Dolac splitting the other. A healthy Garrett's presence in the front seven changes the entire complexion of the defense, and he could continue to make up for lost time in Week 10 against Gardner Minshew and the Cardinals.

Blake Corum

RB

The Rams' backfield has become a full-fledged timeshare, with Corum getting double-digit carries for a third straight game and out-producing Kyren Williams on the ground in Washington. Corum has gotten into the end zone in all three of those contests, punching in a one-yard score in the third quarter Sunday, and over that stretch he's amassed 224 rushing yards and three TDs while averaging 5.7 yards a carry. With Puka Nacua (knee) headed for an MRI, the Rams could lean even more heavily on their ground attack in a Week 10 tilt against the Cardinals.

Matthew Stafford

QB

The veteran QB looked the way of Puka Nacua (knee) early and often, with no other Ram pass catcher managing more than 20 receiving yards, and the star wideout was on the other end of a seven-yard TD toss in the fourth quarter that proved to be the winning score. Stafford has thrown a single touchdown pass in back-to-back games after producing multiple TDs in five of six contests before that, and his options could get even thinner with Nacua headed for an MRI after getting hurt on L.A.'s final possession.

Kyren Williams

RB

Blake Corum was the more productive Ram on the ground, turning 11 carries into 58 yards and a touchdown, but the offense mainly flowed through Puka Nacua on the afternoon. Williams failed to find the end zone for only the third time in nine games this season, and the 45 rushing yards were his lowest total since Week 1, although he has yet to reach 100 in any contest. The Los Angeles backfield has become a clear timeshare however, limiting Williams' upside heading into a Week 10 trip to Arizona.

Grant Stuard

LB

Stuard finished the week as a limited participant in Friday's practice due to a hamstring injury that occurred during Week 8 warmups. The 28-year-old has played in all eight Rams games this season, recording two total tackles (one solo).

Kam Curl

S

Curl is set to suit up for Sunday's game despite missing the Rams' Wednesday and Thursday practice sessions. The strong safety will need to anchor the team's secondary due to the absence of starting cornerbacks Jaylen Watson (shoulder, IR) and Trent McDuffie (back).

Jaylen Watson

CB

Watson exited Sunday's win over the Chargers early with a severe shoulder injury. The cornerback will undergo surgery while on IR, which will end his season. Watson ends the season with 24 tackles (14 solo) and nine passes defensed, including one interception, over seven regular-season games.

Ronnie Rivers

RB

Rivers missed six games while on injured reserve with a calf injury he sustained in the Rams' Week 2 loss to the Giants. The 27-year-old has returned ahead of Sunday's game against the Commanders and has no injury designation headed into the contest. Rivers will likely be a special-teams contributor with no real role in the Rams' offense.