The absence of Cooper Kupp, who is sidelined with an ankle injury, is particularly concerning for the Rams. Kupp was instrumental in their Super Bowl LVI victory and was named MVP of that game.

Soft-tissue injuries are often prevalent early in the NFL season because there is less contact during training camp and preseason playing time for key contributors is limited. The league lost a few stars in recent weeks and now teams are tasked with filling that lost production.