After dropping to 2–4 on the season, the Rams now have another obstacle to deal with: Star receiver Davante Adams ruptured his hamstring and will be out for six to 10 weeks, coach Sean McVay announced on Monday.
The Rams have already had a disappointing start to the year. They entered the season as the Super Bowl favorites, but have won two games through six weeks and just lost to the Cardinals at home. Late in the game, Adams sustained the injury, which will now keep him out for much of the rest of the season.
As the Rams look to climb out of the cellar of the NFC West and return to contention, here’s a closer look at their receiver depth chart without Adams and trade targets to consider.
Rams’ WR depth chart
The Rams’ decision to use the No. 13 pick on quarterback Ty Simpson instead of adding receiver or offensive line help looms large now. With Adams out, the Rams’ receiver room consists of:
- Puka Nacua
- Jordan Whittington
- Konata Mumpfield
- Tutu Atwell
- CJ Daniels
- Alex Bachman
Nacua is the star of the group, and has 37 catches for 417 yards and a touchdown. Outside of Nacua, the Rams have seen limited production from their wideouts. Mumpfield, a 2025 seventh-round pick, has eight receptions for 127 yards. Whittington has two catches for 12 yards. Atwell, who the Rams traded back for this offseason, has three receptions for 31 yards. Daniels and Bachman do not have a reception, and Bachman has primarily been a special teamer.
When the Rams were without Nacua for their game against the Jaguars last season, they turned to 13 personnel, or a formation featuring one running back, three tight ends and one receiver. After running 13 personnel nearly three times as often as any other team in 2025, the Rams are still using it at the highest rate in the league (30.98%). The Rams have a deep tight end room: Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen and rookie Max Klare. Ferguson, one of their top pass catchers, has been on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Even so, according to Sumer Sports, the Rams’ passing attack has been effective in 13 personnel, generating 0.39 EPA per pass.
Trade candidates for the Rams
The other area the Rams can turn to for receiver help is the trade market. There is no silver lining to Adams’s injury, but the timing does allow the Rams to consider bringing in another receiver before the Nov. 10 deadline. They could target:
- Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars
- Jerry Jeudy, Browns
- Quentin Johnston, Chargers
- Jauan Jennings, Vikings
- Rashod Bateman, Ravens
- Calvin Ridley, Titans
The Rams recently worked with the Browns’ front office on the Myles Garrett trade and know Jaguars general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen from their time in Los Angeles, which could help them facilitate a trade if they have interest in Thomas and/or Jeudy.
What doesn’t help the Rams is they do not have a first-round pick in 2027 or a second-round pick in 2028 because of the Garrett trade. The Rams are famous for “F— them picks,” but they might not have the capital to pull off such a trade or the desire to mortgage their future any further, especially with the direction this season is trending.
How have the Rams fared without Adams?
Since Adams signed with the Rams in 2025, effectively replacing Cooper Kupp as the No. 2 receiver in the offense, he previously missed the final three games of the 2025 campaign. The Rams lost two of those three, with their lone win coming against the Cardinals in Week 18.
The loss of Adams could particularly be felt in the red zone. Adams excelled at catching touchdowns in the red zone last year, including in short-yardage situations, helping Stafford lead the league in passing touchdowns. When Adams was out last season, the Rams converted just 6-of-13 red zone trips into touchdowns, well below their average of 64.37%.
Adams’s absence could also hurt the Rams’ downfield passing attack. In their past two games against the Bills and Cardinals, both opponents largely limited Los Angeles from beating them deep and forced them to turn to the short-passing game. Stafford’s deep passing percentage has dropped from sixth in 2025 (12.6%) to 22nd in 2026 (8.4%), according to Next Gen Stats. The Rams have been able to connect downfield with Adams, as he has averaged 14.8 air yards per target this season, per Next Gen Stats. In comparison, Nacua has averaged 9.5 yards per target. The return of Ferguson could also help in this area; in 2025, he averaged 17.6 air yards per target.
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