Los Angeles Rams

The NFL has fined Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald after he committed an unnecessary roughness penalty on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Sunday in L.A.'s 26-10 loss.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provided the details.

The play in question occurred with 9:51 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Chiefs up 20-10. On 3rd-and-goal from the 7-yard line, Donald and Michael Hoecht combined to sack Mahomes, but the former was called for a facemask penalty.

The play didn't cost the Rams. Three snaps later, Mahomes tossed an interception to safety Nick Scott.

L.A. quarterback Bryce Perkins threw his own pick two plays after that, however, and the Chiefs closed the game with two field goals.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters defensive tackle Aaron Donald suffered an ankle sprain during Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Donald is undergoing testing to determine the severity of the setback.

The 31-year-old rarely misses any time because of injury, appearing in 127 of 129 possible regular-season games over his first eight years in the NFL. He made 65 straight regular-season starts from 2018 to '21.

Donald has also been a key contributor in the playoffs, tallying 3.5 sacks across four postseason games last year while helping the Rams win the Super Bowl.

The championship added to a resume of someone who was already one of the top defensive players of his era. The Pittsburgh product earned a Pro Bowl selection in each of his first eight years in the league and was named first-team All-Pro for the seventh straight time in 2021.

Donald has been named Defensive Player of the Year three times and was a top contender for the award again in 2021 after totaling 12.5 sacks and a career-high 84 tackles.

This is shaping up to be a lost season for the 3-8 Rams, and missing Donald for the upcoming contest against the Seattle Seahawks would be yet another obstacle to overcome.

The injury problems continue for the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters wide receiver Allen Robinson II will miss the rest of the season because he needs foot surgery. Robinson was inactive for Sunday's 26-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Los Angeles is already without star wide receiver Cooper Kupp after he underwent ankle surgery, and quarterback Matthew Stafford was inactive for Sunday's loss as well.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the NFC West team remains "uncertain" if Stafford will return this year. He suffered a strained neck and missed the latest game following two trips to the concussion protocol.

Considering the Rams are now 3-8 on the season, there may not be any reason to bring him back as they play out the string of what is shaping up to be a lost campaign.

As for Robinson, he signed a three-year, $46.5 million deal with Los Angeles this offseason as the team looked to replace the departed Robert Woods and Odell Beckham Jr. He was fairly unspectacular in his first season with the team, finishing with 33 catches for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games.

It was a far cry from when he led the league with 14 touchdown receptions in 2015 as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Robinson played four years for Jacksonville and four years for the Chicago Bears prior to joining the Rams. His resume includes three seasons of more than 1,100 receiving yards and a Pro Bowl selection, and he figured to be a key piece for a contender in 2022.

Instead, his season is coming to an early end, and the Rams look nothing close to a playoff team after winning a Lombardi Trophy just last season.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Allen Robinson is reportedly unlikely to play in Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a foot injury.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the news.

Robinson signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Rams in March after spending the last four seasons of his career with the Chicago Bears. Before that, he spent four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who selected him in the second round of the 2014 draft.

In 10 games this season, Robinson has caught 33 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns.

Robinson has dealt with injuries at points throughout his eight-year career. He missed most of the 2017 season with a torn ACL and missed time during the 2018 campaign with groin and rib ailments.

However, the 29-year-old has been durable throughout the previous three seasons, appearing in all 16 games during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He caught 200 passes for 2,397 yards and 13 touchdowns in those years.

Robinson was inconsistent in 2021, though, catching just 38 passes for 410 yards and one touchdown in 12 games.

Despite Robinson joining star Cooper Kupp on the sidelines, the Rams still have plenty of receivers to rely on, including Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Jacob Harris and Ben Skowronek.

The Los Angeles Rams waived veteran running back Darrell Henderson Jr. on Tuesday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Henderson appeared to react to the news of his release on Twitter:

It's somewhat of a surprising move as Henderson had started 28 games for the Rams over the past three seasons, including seven of 10 games this year while filling in for Cam Akers, who spent time away from the team earlier this year after reportedly butting heads with head coach Sean McVay.

Henderson rushed for 283 yards and three touchdowns on 70 carries this season, in addition to catching 17 passes for 102 yards.

The 25-year-old spent most of the 2021 season as L.A.'s top running back after Akers suffered a torn Achilles during a July training session. He totaled 864 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns in 12 games before going on injured reserve with an MCL injury.

The Rams selected Henderson in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Memphis. In 50 total games across four season, he rushed for 1,742 yards and 13 touchdowns on 396 carries, in addition to catching 66 passes for 474 yards and and four scores.

With Henderson out of the picture, the only running backs on the Rams roster are Akers and Kyren Williams. Akers has rushed for 237 yards and one touchdown on 76 carries in eight games.

Williams, who was selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft, has eight carries for 45 yards in three games.

The Rams are last in the NFC West with a 3-7 record and are far from competing for a Super Bowl title this season. It's unclear if they have plans to add another running back.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford potentially suffered a concussion during Sunday's 27-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints, though head coach Sean McVay couldn't confirm whether he was in the concussion protocol after the contest.

The Rams announced during the game that Stafford was being evaluated for a concussion. He left the game in the third quarter and didn't return.

Stafford was listed as questionable for a Nov. 13 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals after entering concussion protocol and was eventually ruled out.

The 34-year-old has been pretty durable over his 14-year career and that was the first game he had missed since being dealt to the Rams from the Detroit Lions ahead of the 2021 season.

Stafford is in the middle of a tough campaign for the 3-7 Rams, completing 68 percent of his passes for 2,087 yards and 10 touchdowns against eight interceptions in nine games. A poor offensive line hasn't helped his cause.

Backup John Wolford filled in for Stafford against the Cardinals. The 27-year-old completed 24 of 36 passes for 212 yards with one touchdown and one interception. On Sunday, Bryce Perkins was called into relief duty, leading the team to a pair of field goals in the second half.

While the Rams don't look ready to contend for a Super Bowl, they'll need Stafford healthy in order to finish the regular season on a high note and potentially sneak into the playoffs. But the situation doesn't look good, with superstar Cooper Kupp already sidelined for potentially the remainder of the season with a high ankle sprain.

Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks after undergoing ankle surgery this week, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The receiver's return could also be tied to the Rams' chances of contention after a 3-6 start to the season.

"If Los Angeles' struggles continue, it most certainly means that Kupp would not be likely to play again until the 2023 season," Schefter reported.

The Rams have eight games remaining in the regular season, starting with Sunday's road game against the New Orleans Saints.

Kupp suffered the high-ankle sprain in last Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He finished the game with negative-one yards on three catches, representing just his second game with fewer than 60 receiving yards in the past two seasons.

Rams coach Sean McVay announced afterwards Kupp would require a "tightrope" procedure on the ankle that usually comes with a five-to-six week recovery timeline.

It now seems the injury will keep him off the field even longer, and he is unlikely to rush back if the Rams remain out of playoff contention.

The injury is devastating for both the Rams and fantasy football teams everywhere considering the wideout's production over the past two years.

The 29-year-old led the NFL with 145 receptions, 1,947 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns last year, eventually winning Super Bowl MVP after leading the Rams to a championship. He continued to rack up the catches in 2022 with 75 receptions for 812 yards and six touchdowns through nine games, ranking in the top five of the NFL in each category.

Without him, Los Angeles will need to rely on Allen Robinson, Van Jefferson and Ben Skowronek.

Fantasy managers who were able to count on Cooper Kupp for consistent production find themselves in a bad spot for the rest of the season.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay announced this week his star will be placed on injured reserve after having surgery to repair a high ankle sprain.

While McVay didn't rule out Kupp returning before the end of the season, he will miss a minimum of four weeks. The earliest he will be eligible to return is the Rams' Week 15 game against the Green Bay Packers.

Kupp has been the only offensive standout for the reigning Super Bowl champs thus far. He has 98 targets, 75 receptions, 812 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns. The rest of the team's pass-catchers have 219 targets, 146 receptions, 1,337 yards and nine total touchdowns.

If you subscribe to the old fantasy theory that someone has to catch passes in this offense, you might be able to talk yourself into one of the Rams' pass-catchers.

The Rams bet on Allen Robinson during the offseason when he signed a three-year, $46.5 million deal as a free agent.

Robinson got the deal despite coming off the worst season of his career in 2021. Usually one of the most dependable fantasy receivers in the NFL, the 29-year-old had just 38 receptions, 410 yards and one touchdown in 12 games with the Chicago Bears.

He averaged 1,199 receiving yards, 100 receptions and 153 targets over the previous two seasons. No other player on the Bears had more than 61 catches or 631 yards in 2020.

If Robinson's decline was only down to playing for an inept Chicago offense, putting him in Sean McVay's system next to Kupp seemed like reason enough to expect him to get back to those pre-2021 numbers.

Through nine games thus far, it seems Robinson's decline may not be entirely because of the Bears offense. He has 292 yards and two touchdowns on 29 receptions.

Van Jefferson had 802 yards and six touchdowns in 17 starts last season. He ranked 31st overall among all wide receivers in PPR leagues with 118.2 points, per Fantasy Pros. Injuries caused him to miss the first six games, but he has just 27 yards on three catches in three games since Week 8.

Tyler Higbee was a decent sleeper tight end coming into the season. The 29-year-old suffered a knee injury in the NFC Championship Game that required surgery. He racked up 560 yards and tied his career high with five touchdowns during the 2021 regular season.

Given how weak tight end is in fantasy right now, betting on Higbee as a starter isn't a bad option. He was a borderline TE1 in 2021 with 86 points in PPR leagues. He ranks second on the Rams with 385 receiving yards on 44 receptions, though he has yet to find the end zone.

None of these options is especially appealing, even if Matthew Stafford returns this week after sitting out Week 10 with a concussion.

Maybe Higbee's value increases slightly because he's been the No. 2 option after Kupp and fantasy production from tight ends overall in 2022 has been dreadful.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford appears set to return from a one-game absence on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Stafford was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and is expected to be cleared from concussion protocol on Friday, putting him in line to play in Week 11.

Stafford was placed in concussion protocol last Tuesday following the Rams' Week 9 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McVay said last week that he didn't have any indication that Stafford was experiencing concussion symptoms during the game.

Stafford's return comes at a crucial time for the defending Super Bowl champions. While he was out Sunday, Los Angeles was defeated by the Arizona Cardinals 27-17 for its third straight loss, which dropped the team to 3-6 and last place in the NFC West. John Wolford started in his place, finishing 24-of-36 for 212 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

When Stafford takes the field against the Saints, he will be missing his favorite target. The Rams placed star wide receiver Cooper Kupp on injured reserve after he was forced to undergo surgery for a high ankle sprain he suffered against the Cardinals. The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year was in the midst of another spectacular season with 75 catches for 812 yards and six touchdowns.

While Kupp is out, Los Angeles could have trouble moving the ball because of how much the offense revolves around him. Tight end Tyler Higbee ranks second on the team with just 385 receiving yards. Veteran receiver Allen Robinson II, the team's prized free-agent signing this past offseason, has failed to make an impact with just two touchdowns this year.

It will be up to Stafford to make it work with this crop of receivers for the Rams to turn their season around and make a push for a spot in the playoffs.

Things keep getting worse for the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, who will be without star wide receiver Cooper Kupp for at least the next four games.

Head coach Sean McVay told reporters Tuesday that Kupp will be placed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain that requires surgery.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Kupp's prognosis "doesn't sound good."

The injury occurred during the Rams' 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. After Kupp attempted to catch a pass from quarterback John Wolford in the fourth quarter, he grabbed his ankle.

After being helped to the bench by the team's medical staff, Kupp sat out for the remainder of the game.

Kupp originally injured his ankle on Oct. 30 in a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He missed one practice and was limited in another leading up to the Rams' next game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he played well with 127 yards and one touchdown on nine catches.

The move to injured reserve means Kupp won't be eligible to play until Dec. 19. Depending on how things go for the Rams in the next four weeks, they may not look to rush him back on the field.

Kupp has been one of the few bright spots for the Rams so far this season. He has 75 receptions, 812 yards and six touchdowns in nine games. The rest of the team has combined for 146 receptions, 1,337 yards and three touchdowns.

The Rams have lost three straight and five of their past six games. They are currently in last place in the NFC West with a 3-6 record and trail the 49ers by two games for the final playoff spot in the conference.