Analysis

Kupp sprained his left ankle during Sunday's loss to the Cardinals and is now in line to miss some time. With Puka Nacua (knee) already on IR, the Rams' top healthy options at wideout are currently Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington. A move to IR would force Kupp to miss at least four games, but the Rams have yet to make the transaction official and may instead prefer to take a week-to-week approach with the star wideout.

Analysis

Kupp hurt his ankle late in the first half and was ruled out at halftime, finishing the day with four catches for 37 yards on six targets. The star wide receiver's return timeline has yet to be established, but Kupp certainly seems to be in danger of sitting out next Sunday's game against the 49ers. Kupp's injury is an unfortunate development for a Rams team that's off to a 0-2 start and already down another starting wide receiver in Puka Nacua (knee), who is on injured reserve.

Analysis

Kupp needed assistance to get to the locker room just before halftime while walking with a noticeable limp and didn't rejoin his teammates on the sideline after the intermission. The Rams deemed him doubtful to return, so he seems destined to end Week 2 with four catches (on six targets) for 37 yards. With Puka Nacua (knee) on injured reserve, the Rams' existing receiving corps is perilously thin, as Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington are the remaining healthy options for Week 2.

Analysis

Kupp becomes an obvious favorite to lead not only the Rams but the entire NFL in targets while Nacua is sidelined for at least Weeks 2 through 5. Even with Nacua playing two quarters in Sunday's 26-20 overtime loss to the Rams, Kupp was still the only player in the NFL with more than 12 targets during the opening week of the season, reeling in 14 of 21 looks for 110 yards and a touchdown (and adding two carries for 10 yards). The biggest remaining question in terms of Kupp's fantasy value is whether he's able to stay healthy while handling such massive workloads, after lower-body injuries had a major impact on his 2022 and 2023 campaigns. Either way, he should stay busy this Sunday at Arizona, facing a defense that was one of the league's worst in 2023 before giving up four total touchdowns to the Bills in Week 1.

Analysis

Kupp popped off with a monster receiving line to begin the fantasy season after beginning last year on the PUP list due to injury. Unfortunately for the Rams, his massive target total came at the expense of fellow star wideout Puka Nacua (knee), who may have suffered a serious injury of his own in Sunday's nationally televised loss to Detroit. Kupp was already poised to bounce back following injury-plagued campaigns in 2022 and 2023, but he may be asked to do even more than expected if Nacua is forced to miss time after being carted off of the field Sunday. Kupp and the Rams will look to shake off this competitive loss in advance of next Sunday's tilt against Arizona.

Analysis

Head coach Sean McVay's gameplan to rest his key players and hide his offensive gameplan allowed Kupp to get some extra rest after two separate lower-body injuries caused the superstar to miss 12 games over the last two years. The 2023 Rookie of the Year, Puka Nacua, (knee) emerged in the veteran's absence, and both players are lined up to start a regular season across from each other for the first time. McVay mentioned earlier in the offseason that Kupp was still limited by the aforementioned leg injuries last season when he provided a 7/59/5 receiving line across 12 regular-season games. The 31-year-old is only two years removed from his memorable Super Bowl MVP campaign, so a bounce back could be in store for Kupp's suitors if McVay's words hold water this year.

Analysis

The Rams held nearly half their roster out of the preseason opener against Dallas, including a lot of their more highly regarded backups, and coach Sean McVay said the list of rested players could be even longer for the team's second exhibition. Kupp has been healthy throughout spring practices and training camp, unlike last year when he had to rehab from a major ankle injury and then dealt with a hamstring pull for much of the summer and September.

Analysis

McVay compared Kupp's 2023 to QB Matthew Stafford's 2022, with the implication being that both players not only missed games but also played through injuries when they were active. Kupp has told reporters he's 100 percent healthy for the offseason program, unlike in recent years at the same juncture. Last year, he was coming back from season-ending ankle surgery in 2022 and then ended up suffering a summer hamstring injury that cost him the first four games of 2023. Kupp didn't lose any games to injuries thereafter, but he did make an early exit from the team's Week 11 contest and ultimately averaged his least receiving yards per game (61.4) since his rookie year. While a rebound could be coming, Kupp is on the cusp of his 31st birthday and now has to share an offense with 2023 rookie sensation Puka Nacua. It's thus unclear if Kupp will regain his peak form and target volume, though just one of those two things happening would probably be enough to make him a good fantasy pick.