One of the top wide receivers in the game is returning to a team that’s had a decent start without him.
Cooper Kupp is healthy and will return Sunday after missing the first four games of the season.
The 30-year-old was placed on injured reserve just before the season started after he reaggravated a hamstring injury from earlier in training camp, causing him to miss the first four weeks of the Los Angeles Rams’ season.
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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp walks off the field after a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sept. 26, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
The team opened his 21-day practice window earlier this week, and Sean McVay said Kupp’s ready for this weekend after practicing Thursday.
“Just having his presence out there is definitely a boost,” McVay told reporters Friday. “I’m really happy for him because of how important it is to be out there with his team and to be able to feel physically like he’s himself.
“If that’s the case then usually the rest just takes care of itself. More importantly, it’s good for our team, but it’s also good for somebody that you care a whole lot about. I’m happy to be able to have him back, and we’ll see if that continues to trend in the right direction unless something unforeseen happens over the next 48 hours.”
The Rams will get the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year back at a time when a rookie has done his best to replicate Kupp.
Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams and Puka Nacua (17) meet before a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field Sept. 10, 2023, in Seattle. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Puka Nacua has been picked up in just about every fantasy football league because of his strong start to the season. The BYU product leads the NFL with 39 receptions, and his 501 yards had ranked second to DJ Moore before Thursday night’s game. Kupp will regain his role as the Rams’ top target, but Nacua provides a more-than-solid second option.
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Kupp inked a three-year, $80 million extension in June 2022 after his Triple Crown campaign during which he won Super Bowl MVP. But a high ankle sprain in Week 10 last year kept him out for the remainder of the season.
Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams walks off the field after a win over the Atlanta Falcons at SoFi Stadium Sept. 18, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
When he was on the field, he remained dominant. In nine games last season, he caught 75 passes for 812 yards and six touchdowns. Through his first eight games, he was on pace for 153 catches, 1,728 yards and 15 touchdowns.
In his Triple Crown season, he caught 145 passes for 1,947 yards and 16 scores.
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Los Angeles is 2-2, and Kupp is picking a good time to return. The Rams host the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles Sunday.
