The Los Angeles Rams will be without one of their top wide receivers for the season opener. Cooper Kupp has been ruled out due to a knee injury he suffered during the preseason. Kupp had been a key part of the Rams offense since his rookie season in 2017, when he had 62 receptions for 869 yards and five touchdowns.
Kupp’s absence is a major blow to the Rams offense, as he was expected to be one of the team’s top targets this season. Kupp was coming off a career-best season in 2018, when he had 94 receptions for 1,161 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also had a career-high in yards per reception (12.4) and was on pace to have another great year in 2019.
The Rams will now have to rely on other receivers to step up in Kupp’s absence. Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks are expected to be the team’s top two targets, but there are also some other players who could see increased roles. Josh Reynolds, who had a breakout performance in the preseason, is expected to be the team’s third receiver. He is a big-play threat who could help fill the void left by Kupp.
The Rams also have some depth at tight end, with Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee both expected to see increased roles in the passing game. Everett had 32 receptions for 320 yards and three touchdowns last season, while Higbee had 24 receptions for 292 yards and two touchdowns.
The Rams will certainly miss Kupp’s production, but they have enough talent at the receiver position to make up for his absence. It will be interesting to see how the offense adjusts without Kupp, but the team is confident that they can still have success this season.