Kupp was being drafted in the first round as one of the first wide receivers off the board, but hold on. After an injury shortened 2022 season, Kupp was slowed during preseason by a hamstring injury, and Rams coach Sean McVay revealed on Aug. 31 that Kupp has had a setback. The Rams are calling it day to day for now, but it throws Kupp's early-season availability into doubt. We've seen with Jerry Jeudy what a hamstring injury can do to a star wideout's draft stock. How far Kupp slides from Round 1 ADP will depend on updates. Kupp was sensational early last season, averaging 24.8 FPPG over his first eight games. If you could guarantee health for both he and QB Matthew Stafford, it would be hard to make a case against Kupp as the No. 1 WR in Fantasy, even the No. 1 overall pick. But Stafford is 35, Kupp just turned 30 and both missed the second half of 2022.
Coach Sean McVay said Friday that he hopes Kupp (hamstring) will be ready to play Week 5 against Philadelphia, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.
It's the earliest possible date for a return after Kupp was placed on injured reserve ahead of the Rams' Week 1 victory in Seattle. McVay didn't want to discuss a specific timeline but did make it clear the Rams have at least some hope Kupp will be ready when first eligible.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Placed on injured reserve
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Kupp (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Head coach Sean McVay essentially confirmed Kupp would move to injured reserve earlier this week when he refrained from suggesting a timetable for return. The star wideout aggravated a preseason hamstring injury last week and won't be eligible to return until Week 5 at the earliest. Expect some combination of Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua and Tyler Higbee to assume more receiving opportunities in Kupp's absence.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: IR stint possible, per McVay
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Coach Sean McVay said Friday that there's a chance Kupp (hamstring) could be placed on injured reserve, Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network reports.
The timing of the transaction will be key for any timetable for Kupp's potential return to action. If the Rams make the move Friday or Saturday, he'll need to be sidelined for at least the first four games of the campaign. Beyond Week 1, the same four-game requirement to return applies. In any case, it appears Kupp is in danger of missing time beyond Sunday's game at Seattle due to the hamstring injury that has followed him since the start of August and that he aggravated last week. As long as Kupp is out, L.A. will rely on Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua, Ben Skowronek and Demarcus Robinson at wide receiver.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Return timetable uncertain
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Head coach Sean McVay acknowledged Wednesday that Kupp's (hamstring) timetable for a return has yet to be determined, Stu Jackson of the Rams' official site reports.
Kupp has already been ruled out for Sunday's season opener against the Seahawks as he continues to deal with "some soft-tissue stuff," per McVay. Beyond Week 1, the star wideout's status is unclear, with McVay suggesting that Kupp could be out for "a couple weeks" or a candidate for injured reserve, which would keep Kupp out for at least four games. For however long Kupp is sidelined, Van Jefferson is expected to serve as the Rams' No. 1 wideout, with Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua also in the mix to see added snaps, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Athletic.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Not playing Week 1
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Rams head coach Sean McVay has ruled out Kupp (hamstring) for Sunday's season opener at Seattle, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.
After Kupp aggravated his hamstring injury last week, McVay called the wideout "day-to-day," which is exactly the same label offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur gave Kupp shortly after suffering the initial injury Aug. 1. With Kupp having now been confirmed as out for Week 1, he'll await word on his recent visit to a specialist in Minnesota to get a more precise prognosis. At least for the season opener, the Rams will roll with a receiver group of Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua, Ben Skowronek and Demarcus Robinson.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Visiting specialist after setback
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Kupp (hamstring) is in Minnesota on Saturday visiting a specialist, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Sean McVay acknowledged Thursday that Kupp had suffered a recent setback, though the coach's use of the term "day-to-day" suggests he hasn't given up on the wideout playing Week 1 at Seattle. Rapoport hints at Kupp missing at least one game, which wouldn't be surprising after the hamstring injury cost him most of training camp and now has him missing practice less than two weeks before the season opener.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Suffers 'setback' with hamstring
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Coach Sean McVay said Thursday that Kupp had a "setback" with his hamstring injury and now is considered "day-to-day," Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network reports.
Kupp has been dealing with a balky hamstring since an Aug. 1 practice, which kept him out for the Rams' entire preseason slate. He was able to return to drills on Aug. 21 and had been ramping up his activity level in the meantime, but he now is tending to what McVay terms a "muscle strain." While being deemed day-to-day generally is a decent sign for Kupp's chances to suit up Sunday, Sept. 10 at Seattle, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur used those exact words when discussing the wide receiver's health back on Aug. 4. As a result, Kupp's status will be one to monitor closely during Week 1 prep.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Says he's on track for Week 1
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Kupp (hamstring) said Thursday that he's on track to play Week 1 against the Seahawks, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
Kupp pulled his hamstring back on Aug. 1 but returned to practice earlier this week. The Rams have no reason to push their offensive centerpiece, so Kupp has been getting plenty of rest before the games count in two weeks. Kupp is a locked-in top-10 fantasy pick and should contend for the league lead in targets this season.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Logs another practice Wednesday
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Kupp (hamstring) participated in Wednesday's joint practice with the Broncos, James Palmer of NFL Network reports.
Kupp exited practice Aug. 1 due to a hamstring injury that was expected to keep him out until joint sessions with either the Raiders or Broncos. His first chance to return to drills came and went without the wide receiver seeing the field, but he relayed during Saturday's preseason game against Las Vegas that he intended to get back in the mix versus Denver. Indeed, Kupp took part in Monday's practice and followed it up with an appearance Wednesday. Perhaps the Rams want to see Kupp put together back-to-back days with on-field work before clearing him for full activity, but his incremental progress this week indicates he'll be healthy in advance of a Week 1 road matchup with the Seahawks.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Rejoins practice
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Kupp (hamstring) returned to practice Monday, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
It remains to be seen if Kupp will be deemed a full participant, but either way, the wideout's return to the field Monday bodes well for his Week 1 availability in the absence of any setbacks. The Rams' preseason finale is Saturday against the Broncos, but it'd be a surprise if Kupp sees any action in the contest.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Return to practice imminent
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Kupp (hamstring) said during Saturday's preseason game versus the Raiders that he intends to take part in joint practices with the Broncos on Wednesday and Thursday, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.
Kupp has missed the Rams' first two exhibitions due to a hamstring injury that he sustained early on in training camp. This follows his long recovery from November tightrope surgery to repair the high right-ankle sprain that ended his 2022 campaign. Prior to that injury, Kupp was the only bright spot in a dull L.A. offense, putting together a 75-812-6 line on 98 targets in nine games. It remains to be seen if he'll play in the team's preseason finale Saturday, Aug. 26 in Denver, but he nonetheless seems to be on pace to be active Week 1 at Seattle.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Unlikely to practice this week
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Coach Sean McVay said Sunday that it's "more likely than not" that Kupp (hamstring) doesn't participate in joint practices with the Raiders this week, Adam Grosbard of The Orange County Register reports.
The Rams initially hoped that Kupp would be back on the field for the joint practices with Las Vegas this week, but McVay said that it's more realistic that the receiver returns the following week. Even if he takes an extra week to recover, Kupp will have a few weeks to practice with the team before the Rams' regular-season opener in Seattle on Sunday, Sept. 10.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Gets work in with training staff
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Kupp (hamstring) was spotted working out with the Rams' strength and conditioning staff during the initial portion of Tuesday's practice, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
Though Kupp wasn't in uniform, it's nonetheless a positive sign that he was able to fit in some light on-field activity. Stu Jackson of the Rams' official site previously noted that the team hoped to have Kupp back in the mix in time for joint practices with the Raiders, which are slated to take place during Week 2 of the team's preseason slate. For now, Kupp is viewed as day-to-day due to the hamstring injury that he sustained Aug. 1.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Called day-to-day
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Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said Thursday that he considers Kupp (hamstring) day-to-day and expects him to be "alright," Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
LaFleur might be a bit too optimistic here, considering a previous report from Schefter suggested the wide receiver would be out for "a few weeks" after injuring his hamstring during Tuesday's practice. It is possible the Rams are feeling a bit better about things a few days later, but it's also possible this is just coach-speak and Kupp is still expected to miss the remainder of training camp. The timing of the injury early in camp gives Kupp nearly six weeks to recover before the Rams host the Seahawks in Week 1 (Sept. 10).
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Could miss time in preseason
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Kupp underwent an MRI on his hamstring after exiting Tuesday's practice and could be back for scrimmages "in a few weeks," Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The Rams are expected to be cautious with their top wideout for the rest of training camp and the preseason, but Schefter's report suggests Kupp will have a chance at being ready to go in advance of Week 1. While Kupp is sidelined, the likes of Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek (back), Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson are all likely to see added opportunities in practice.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Nursing hamstring injury
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Kupp walked off the field of Tuesday's practice with medical staff due to a hamstring injury, and the team has not provided a timetable for his return, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
The injury was sustained when Kupp came up short on a red-zone route, according to head coach Sean McVay. Look for the Rams to err on the side of caution with their star pass catcher going forward in order to ensure his health heading into the season and avoid a lingering issue. The 30-year-old entered camp as a full participant after logging only individual drills during the Rams' offseason program in mid-June while recovering from a high-ankle sprain that ended his 2022 season early.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Full practice participant
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Kupp (ankle) was a full participant Wednesday at the first practice of Rams training camp, Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
The same goes for fellow wide receivers Van Jefferson and Ben Skowronek, both of whom also were limited/absent for spring practices. Kupp did individual drills at June minicamp and is now doing team work without restrictions in late July, seemingly back at full health after November surgery on a season-ending ankle injury. His past production combined with the Rams' poor alternatives at wide receiver gives Kupp a good argument for the largest target share projection in the league -- perhaps in the low 30s again -- but he's unlikely to be seeing those passes as part of a top-five offense the way he did a couple years back when his record-breaking performance helped the team win a Super Bowl.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Attends practice Wednesday
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Kupp (ankle) was present at Wednesday's practice, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
It's unclear if Kupp has progressed to the point in which he can handle a full workload, as he logged only individual drills at the tail end of the Rams' offseason program in mid-June. The delay in on-field work was due to his recovery from November tightrope surgery he underwent on the right high-ankle sprain that brought an early end to his 2022 season. Prior to suffering the injury, Kupp was on pace for another huge season, accumulating 75 catches (on 98 targets) for 812 yards and six touchdowns in nine games. As a result, he remains a top-end receiver talent, despite the current state of the Rams offense.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Restructures deal
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Kupp agreed Wednesday with the Rams to convert $13.92 million of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus, which frees up $10.44 million against the team's salary cap during the upcoming season, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.
Previously, the Rams had just $1.3 million in cap space, but the move gives the team some flexibility to add some free-agent depth as well as sign its 2023 draft class. Kupp, who is working his way back from a tightrope procedure to address the ankle injury he sustained in Week 10 last season, continues to make progress and was able to participate in jog-through installations and individual drills during Tuesday's minicamp practice, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. Though he was limited to nine games last season, Kupp still led the Rams with 812 receiving yards on 75 catches to go along with seven total touchdowns.
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Rams' Cooper Kupp: Mixes into practice Tuesday
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Kupp (ankle) progressed to individual drills at Tuesday's practice, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
Kupp has spent the entirety of the offseason in recovery mode from November tightrope surgery performed on the high right-ankle sprain that ended his 2022 campaign. While he was present at the Rams' final set of OTAs last Tuesday, this week's development marked his first notable on-field work of the offseason program. L.A. is unlikely to push it too much with its No. 1 wide receiver now, as the goal is to have him as healthy as possible at the onset of training camp in late July.
