The high-powered Miami Dolphins will be without one of their top playmakers for the foreseeable future.

Rookie running back De'Von Achane will reportedly miss multiple weeks with a knee injury sustained in the Dolphins' 31-16 win over the New York Giants on Sunday.

Miami coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Monday that the team was evaluating the severity of Achane's injury and on Tuesday, NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported he will miss several games and may end up being placed on injured reserve.

The injury, however, is not expected to be season-ending.

It's still not certain when Achane was injured, though he didn't play in Miami's final two series against the Giants. The outcome, however, was also not in doubt with the Dolphins holding a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter, so it was initially believed he was being rested after rushing for 151 yards and Miami on its way to a victory.

The injury puts a damper on what has been a sensational three-game stretch for Achane, who has gone from relatively unknown to offensive sensation.

After being a healthy scratch in the season opener and recording only one carry for five yards the next week, Achane had a breakout game in Miami's historic 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 3, leading the team with 203 rushing yards while scoring four touchdowns.

He followed that performance with 120 scrimmage yards and two more TDs the following week in a 48-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

With another touchdown against the Giants, Achane became the first player in the Super Bowl era with seven TDs in his first four NFL games.

The 21-year-old leads the NFL with an incredible 12.1 yards per carry and is second in rushing yards with 460. He is 50 yards behind rushing leader Christian McCaffrey despite having 61 fewer rushing attempts.

His injury means Raheem Mostert will handle the bulk of the running back duties for the Dolphins, while Jeff Wilson Jr. could also be activated from injured reserve to add backfield depth.

Mostert has rushed for 314 yards with seven touchdowns and has another 128 receiving yards and a receiving score.

The Dolphins are atop the AFC East, and play the winless Carolina Panthers this Sunday followed by a highly anticipated showdown with the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7.

The Minnesota Vikings said on Monday they weren't going to rush Justin Jefferson back from a hamstring injury he sustained in Sunday's 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The team is staying true to its word, as it plans to place him on injured reserve, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network on Tuesday.

A trip to IR means Jefferson must sit out at least four games, leaving the Vikings without the NFL's reigning Offensive Player of the Year for upcoming contests against the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.

The earliest he could return is in Week 10, when Minnesota hosts the New Orleans Saints on November 12.

How long Jefferson will be sidelined depends on how he responds to treatment, according to Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell.

However, it's also possible if Minnesota's season continues to slip away - Sunday's defeat dropped the team to 1-4 - the 2022 NFC North champions could decide to leave Jefferson on IR longer as they jockey for draft positioning.

The 24-year-old Jefferson, who is in the fourth year of his rookie contract and will be seeking a long-term deal this offseason, was injured while slipping on the turf at Minnesota's U.S. Bank Stadium while trying to make a cut.

He limped to the sideline and wanted to return to the game, but O'Connell said the team wanted him to be 100 per cent before they let him back on the field.

Through five games this season, Jefferson has 36 receptions for 571 yards - third most in the NFL - with three touchdown receptions.

He has accounted for 38.1 per cent of Minnesota's receiving yards - the eighth-highest percentage by any receiver for his team in the league.

In 2022, he put together one of the best seasons by a receiver in NFL history, finishing with league highs of 128 catches and 1,809 receiving yards, along with eight TD receptions.

A first-round draft pick in 2020, Jefferson is a three-time Pro Bowler and has never missed a game in his career.

With Jefferson sidelined, rookie receiver Jordan Addison and two-time Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson will be expected to step up in the passing game.

The Las Vegas Raiders ended their three-game losing streak as a last-quarter touchdown sealed a win against the Green Bay Packers 17-13.

The Raiders, down by three early in the fourth quarter, positioned yards from the endzone after a 10-play drive.

And the visiting defence parted ways for running back Josh Jacobs to make the deciding two-yard rush.

Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love threw three interceptions, including a crucial one in the fourth quarter, and went without a touchdown pass in a night to forget in Las Vegas.

Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 204 yards, including a touchdown pass to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

Jacobs ran for 20 carries for 69 yards while Meyers had seven receptions for 75 yards with one touchdown.

The Raiders now have three wins and two losses, sharing the same record as the Packers.

The Indianapolis Colts will be without Anthony Richardson for Sunday's visit to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

And it sounds like the rookie quarterback could miss a few more games.

Colts coach Shane Steichen confirmed on Monday that Richardson "will miss some time" with a sprained AC joint in his right throwing shoulder.

Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew will start Sunday against his former team, as the Colts face the Jaguars in a matchup of teams tied atop the AFC South with 3-2 records.

Steichen was unsure how many games Richardson would miss, and he may end up needing surgery. It's possible the team could end up placing him on injured reserve, which would keep him out at least four games.

Richardson has made four starts since the Colts drafted him fourth overall in this year's draft, but the dual-threat QB has only been able to finish one game as injuries have forced him out of the other three.

In Sunday's 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans, Richardson was hurt with just over 4 1/2 minutes to go in the second quarter when he was tackled by two Titans on a 4-yard run. He took a hit to the left shoulder but appeared to land awkwardly on the right one.

Minshew then replaced Richardson and completed 11-of-14 passes for 155 yards, leading Indianapolis to three scoring drives.

In the Colts' 31-20 victory over the Houston Texans in Week 2 on September 17, Richardson suffered a concussion when he took a hard hit to the head at the end of a 15-yard touchdown run. Minshew came in and threw for 171 yards and a touchdown.

Richardson was unable to clear the NFL's concussion protocol and Minshew led Indianapolis to a 22-19 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3. Richardson returned for last Sunday's overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams - the first game of his young career he was able to complete.

Richardson also suffered a knee bruise on a hard hit near the goal line in the final minutes of a 31-21 season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Steichen said he could have returned, however, and he was taken out as a precaution.

On the season, he has completed 59.5 per cent of his throws for 577 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for an 87.3 passer rating. He has also rushed for 136 yards with four TDs on the ground.

Minshew has completed 68.7 per cent of his passes for 553 yards with two TDs and no picks for a 95.1 rating.

Quarterback Brock Purdy threw four touchdown passes as San Francisco 49ers stayed undefeated with a 42-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Purdy threw all but one of his touchdown passes to tight end George Kittle while Jordan Mason, Christian McCaffrey and Kyle Juszczyk all got over the line for a touchdown.

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott was sacked three times and threw for three interceptions as the Cowboys suffered their biggest defeat since 2013 and their second of the season.

The Kansas City Chiefs added more misery to the Minnesota Vikings tough start to the season, but it was not without a scare as star tight end Travis Kelce went down with an ankle injury in the second quarter.

The Chiefs won 27-20 with Patrick Mahomes throwing for 281 yards with two touchdowns.

Kelce reportedly went for scans on his right foot but returned in the third quarter, scoring a touchdown to put the game out of the Vikings reach and securing the Chiefs fourth win of the season.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts put on a masterclass for the Philadelphia Eagles as they claimed a 23-14 victory at the Los Angeles Rams.

Hurts threw for 303 yards, including one touchdown pass and rushed for 72 yards, scoring a touchdown of his own.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for two touchdowns for 222 yards but the Hurts touchdown and a brave defensive performance in the second half kept Philadelphia’s perfect start alive.

The Cincinnati Bengals secured an away win with the help of Joe Burrows who threw for three touchdown passes and 317 yards to give them a 34-20 win against the Arizona Cardinals.

Ja’Marr Chase scored three touchdowns off Burrows’ arm and set a single-game franchise record for the Bengals with 15 receptions, lifting the Bengals to a 2-3 record.

The Miami Dolphins beat the New York Giants at home 31-16 with rookie running back De’Von Achane scoring a 76-yard rushing touchdown and amounting 151 rushing yards.

The win took Miami to the top of the AFC East with a 4-1 record while the Giants suffered their fourth loss.

Elsewhere, the New York Jets took care of the Denver Broncos 31-21, while the Atlanta Falcons pipped the Houston Texas 21-19 and the Pittsburgh Steelers took down the Baltimore Ravens.

The Indianapolis Colts beat the Tennessee Titans, while the New England Patriots were held scoreless in their 34-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints and the Detroit Lions handed the Carolina Panthers their fifth loss of the year, winning 42-24.

Indianapolis Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson injured his right throwing shoulder in his team's 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Richardson was hurt with just over 4 1/2 minutes to go in the second quarter when he was tackled by two Titans on a 4-yard run. He took a hit to the left shoulder but appeared to land awkwardly on the right one.

Immediately upon being tackled he began rubbing his right shoulder and stayed on the ground while the trainers quickly came out to tend to him.

He stayed down for several minutes before making his way slowly to the injury tent. After being evaluated on the Colts sideline, he walked to the locker room with his right arm hanging down to the side as he tried to keep it immobilised.

The team officially ruled him out early in the third quarter.

X-Rays on the shoulder were reportedly negative and he is expected to get an MRI.

Gardner Minshew replaced Richardson and helped lead Indianapolis to a win - the second time this season he's done that.

In the Colts' 31-20 victory over the Houston Texans in Week 2 on September 17, Richardson suffered a concussion when he took a hard hit to the head at the end of a 15-yard touchdown run. Minshew came in and threw for 171 yards and a touchdown.

He was unable to clear the NFL's concussion protocol and missed Indianapolis' win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 before returning for last Sunday's overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams - the first game of his young career he was able to complete.

Through five weeks of the 2023 NFL season, the dual-threat quarterback has shown glimpses as to why the Colts selected him with the fourth pick in this year's draft, but he's been a bit injury-prone.

In addition to exiting in the wins over the Texans and Titans, Richardson also suffered a knee bruise on a hard hit near the goal line in the final minutes of a 31-21 season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Colts coach Shane Steichen said he could have returned, however, and he was taken out as a precaution.

Prior to exiting Sunday, Richardson completed 9-of-12 passes for 98 yards. He also ran twice for 5 yards and was sacked once.

On the season, he has passed for 577 yards with three touchdowns and one interception and has rushed for 136 yards with four TDs on the ground.

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott would welcome a return trip to London despite admitting his side seemed sluggish in their 25-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Buffalo, led by quarterback Josh Allen and seeking their fourth straight victory, entered Sunday afternoon’s contest on a high after beating the Miami Dolphins but found themselves up against an 11-0 deficit after the first quarter.

Though the ‘host’ Bills, who enjoyed the majority support of a raucous 61,273-strong crowd, twice found themselves a touchdown away from staging a fourth-quarter comeback it was the Jags – coming off last weekend’s 23-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley and perhaps better-adjusted to the time zone – who ultimately held on.

Asked if Buffalo, who only arrived in London on Friday, might have been affected by the travel, McDermott said: “We’ll see if, whatever comes up down the road in terms of us coming back here, but we need to evaluate everything because I didn’t feel like our energy was good enough early in the game.

“They had better energy than we did. We’re going to fly back tonight, watch the film on the way home and learn from this and we’ve got to get ourselves back where we need to be fundamentally. It’s just talking about throwing and catching, tackling, right?

“Most of the things that are at the forefront of some of the reasons why we got the result we did today.

“We would absolutely [come back]. We enjoyed just the opportunity to be over here. It’s an honour to be selected to play here and we’re certainly appreciative of our hosts in London.”

While Buffalo had not played in the UK since 2015, Jacksonville have contested at least one match in the British capital every year since 2013 save 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic prevented international matches.

With Sunday’s victory, the Florida outfit became the first team to win NFL international matches in back-to-back weeks, with some speculating they were given a boost both from their familiarity with the UK grounds and, against Buffalo, were the better-adjusted opponent due to remaining in London between contests.

The Jags certainly looked the sprightlier side in the first quarter and Trevor Lawrence the more effective quarterback, Zay Jones completing the first touchdown and Travis Etienne, who would later make two TDs of his own, adding the two-point conversion.

Buffalo, who lost key linebacker Matt Milano to a knee injury in the first quarter, rallied late in the second to make it 11-7 at the halfway point and a scoreless third quarter ensured it was all to play for in the final 15 minutes.

A game largely dominated by defence broke open, both sides adding two touchdowns apiece – the Jags’ from Etienne, while Allen and Gabe Davis added to Buffalo’s score.

Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who collected from Allen for Buffalo’s second-quarter, 15-yard touchdown, refused to blame the cross-continental trip for the result.

He said: “It’s easy to say that after the game. If we’d won would we be saying yeah, we were tired, we were this, we were that.

“It’s easy to use that as an excuse. I’m not a big excuse guy so I won’t say it, but you’re going to have to ask the other guys.

“Tired or not, you’re going to have to get up to play a football game. You get up to do this thing that you love and play this game because it’s a blessing.

“I will never use the excuse of, you can obviously look at the data or whatever, but I feel like we can play better. We will be better.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars became the first team in NFL history to win an international game in back-to-back weeks with a 25-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Many expected in-form quarterback Josh Allen and his hosting Bills to have the upper hand in London, but the visitors were the superior side by almost every measure in the first quarter, where a costly Buffalo penalty led to the Jags’ first touchdown.

And though AFC East leaders Buffalo, looking for a fourth straight win, finally broke through and narrowed the deficit to 11-7 by the halfway point, a scoreless third quarter and a Travis Etienne touchdown extended the Jags’ advantage to double-digits early in the fourth quarter.

Two touchdowns per side in the final 15 minutes kept things interesting as Buffalo twice came within five points of drawing level, but the visitors, who last weekend beat the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley, ultimately did enough to stave off a Buffalo comeback.

The stands – including Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo – skewed overwhelmingly in favour of Buffalo, but it was the visitors who first sparked to life through QB Trevor Lawrence’s sharp 30-yard pass to wide receiver Christian Kirk.

Jacksonville soon took full advantage after Buffalo’s Ed Oliver was punished with a five-yard penalty and Lawrence fired into the endzone, where a leaping Zay Jones completed the six-yard touchdown, Etienne successfully converting for two more.

Brandon McManus’ 44-yard field goal gave his side an 11-0 lead before the second quarter, where Buffalo pressed on in search of a solution to a Jags defence that, five minutes into the period, had held the hosts to just 35 yards on offence to their 167.

Buffalo finally broke through just before half-time, closing that gap with a 12-play, 86-yard drive ending in Stefon Diggs’ classy 15-yard touchdown reception to collect the pass from his QB with Tyler Bass booting the extra point through the uprights.

That drive alone was 32 yards longer than their first four combined and launched the hosts squarely back into the contest.

A promising third-quarter drive began with a promising 48-yard pass cleverly claimed by Diggs, but the hosts ultimately failed to capitalise on the gained ground.

Buffalo were down to the final 15 minutes after the scoreless third quarter and found themselves frustrated early in the fourth by a brilliant interception by Jags cornerback Darious Williams on Allen’s ball intended for Diggs.

Jacksonville extended their lead to double digits through Etienne, who crossed over from six yards, McManus good for the extra point.

With just over four minutes remaining, the Bills saw a touchdown nullified by a penalty but made good on the second attempt when Allen found Davis for the 19-yard touchdown to make it 18-13, Buffalo failing to convert the extras.

The final few minutes of an afternoon dominated by defence suddenly saw an offensive surge as Etienne crossed for another TD, McManus adding another extra point, but Jacksonville barely had time to celebrate before Allen had crossed into the endzone and Bass’ conversion clawed Buffalo back within five.

The frantic, entertaining close was at least enough to stir the Buffalo faithful, who came just short of seeing their side brilliantly bounce back.

Former All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor and the Indianapolis Colts have agreed to a three-year, $42million contract extension, multiple media outlets reported Saturday. The deal reportedly includes $26.5million in guarantees.

The extension ends a lengthy and sometimes bitter contract dispute between Taylor and the team that drafted him in 2020.

Taylor, 24, was activated from the physically unable to perform list earlier this week and will have a chance to make his season debut Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

While recovering from ankle surgery, Taylor missed offseason activities and training camp before being placed on the PUP list.

In his first public comments since June, Taylor told reporters Thursday that he was eager to return to the field.

“If somebody wasn’t committed, they wouldn’t be here. Right now, I’m here and my No. 1 goal is really to attack this first practice," Taylor said. "It’s been over 290 days, I believe. When you’re not doing what you love, you’re going to notice it, so my main goal has been to attack this first day.”

Taylor and Colts owner Jim Irsay engaged in a war of words through the media this summer, with Taylor bemoaning the compensation offered to running backs.

Taylor requested a trade, and the Colts eventually gave him permission to seek a trade partner after Irsay had initially said that Taylor would not be traded.

In the end, Indianapolis (2-2) keeps 2021’s leading rusher and a potent offensive weapon to pair with rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson.

Taylor ran for 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2021, earning AP All-Pro honours. He had 861 yards and four touchdowns in an injury-shortened season last year.

In 43 career games, Taylor has 4,643 yards from scrimmage and 36 total touchdowns.

Star Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has ended speculation over his future by signing a new three-year deal, according to the NFL.

It has been reported the 24-year-old has agreed a 42 million US dollars deal (£34.3m), of which 26.5m dollars (£21.7m) is guaranteed.

It makes him one of the highest paid running-backs in the league.

Taylor, who could make his first appearance of the season on Sunday after an injury-hit start to the campaign, had been linked with a trade away from the AFC South side during the off-season.

He was drafted by the Colts in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft and set the franchise record for most rushing yards in a season with 1,811 in 2021.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has cleared concussion protocol and will start Monday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

Garoppolo missed Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, with rookie Aidan O’Connell making his NFL debut.

Garoppolo was injured in a 23-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 24 but played the entire game and was checked for a concussion afterward.

“There were some hits that game, so it could’ve been a number of different ones,” he said. “But really just after the game, the doctors grabbed me, started going through it, and next thing I know I was in the protocol. So, weird situation, but we got through it.”

The concussion was another setback for the 31-year-old Garoppolo, who has struggled to stay healthy over the past several seasons.

Las Vegas signed Garoppolo to a three-year, $67.5 million contract in March, including $34 million guaranteed, but the 10-year veteran is off to a shaky start with his new team. He has thrown for 709 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions for the 1-3 Raiders.

“We’re getting there,” Garoppolo said. “Every day, it’s what we’re trying to do. We have to take care of the ball, starting with myself. I think that’s where it all starts. But after that it’s just about making plays. We’ve got playmakers all over the field, just have to get them the rock.”

Chicago Bears have paid tribute to “the ultimate Bear” Dick Butkus following the death of the Hall of Fame middle line-backer at the age of 80.

The Bears led a moment of silence before their win over the Washington Commanders on Thursday.

Born in Chicago, Butkus played his entire football career in the state of Illinois and in his nine years with the Bears, being the third overall choice in the 1965 NFL Draft, he was a five-time first-team All-Pro selection and an eight-time Pro Bowl honouree.

Butkus’ 49 total career takeaways from turnovers rank second in the franchise’s history and he was renowned as one of the fiercest tacklers in the NFL.

A right knee injury forced him to retire at the age of 31 following the 1973 season. Butkus was named in Hall of Fame All-Decade Teams for the 1960s and 1970s. In 1979, Butkus was added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Dick was the ultimate Bear and one of the greatest players in NFL history,” Bears chairman George H McCaskey said on www.chicagobears.com.

“He was Chicago’s son. He exuded what our great city is about and, not coincidently, what (former head coach) George Halas looked for in a player: toughness, smarts, instincts, passion and leadership.

“He refused to accept anything less than the best from himself, or from his team-mates.

“His contributions to the game he loved will live forever and we are grateful he was able to be at our home opener this year to be celebrated one last time by his many fans.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell paid tribute, with a post on X – formerly known as Twitter, reading: “Dick Butkus was a fierce and passionate competitor who helped define the line-backer position as one of the NFL’s all-time greats.

“Dick’s intuition, toughness and athleticism made him the model linebacker whose name will forever be linked to the position and the Chicago Bears.”

Following the Bears’ 40-20 victory on Thursday night – which ended the longest losing streak in the franchise’s history – wide receiver DJ Moore added a heartfelt message to Butkus.

Moore, who finished the game with 230 receiving yards and three touchdowns, posted on social media: “R.I.P Dick Butkus. Was looking over us Tonight”.

The Chicago Bears finally ended the longest losing streak in the franchise’s history with a dominant 40-20 victory over the Washington Commanders.

Dating back to last season, the Bears had lost 14 straight games heading into Thursday night’s clash.

But you would not have known that based on how they started against Washington, scoring three touchdowns and two field goals en route to a 24-point advantage at half-time.

The Commanders were able to offer some challenge in the third quarter, a touchdown and field goal closing the gap to 27-14.

However, Chicago found their offensive groove again in the fourth, clinching the win on a 56-yard completion from quarterback Justin Fields to wide receiver DJ Moore.

Having struggled through his first four games of the season, Fields was back to his brilliant best against Washington.

The 24-year-old threw for four touchdowns – including a hat-trick to Moore – without a turnover.

Washington’s Sam Howell had 388 passing yards and two touchdowns in the losing effort.

Chicago Bears legendary linebacker Dick Butkus, one of the most intimidating players in NFL history, has died. He was 80.

According to a statement released by the team, Butkus’ family confirmed that he died in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, California.

Butkus spent his entire nine-year career with his hometown Bears after he was selected third overall in the 1965 draft out of the University of Illinois.

Though his career was shortened due to multiple knee injuries and forced his retirement at age 31, Butkus still racked up 1,020 tackles, 22 interceptions and a franchise-best 27 fumble recoveries in 119 games with the Bears.

Named to the NFL’s All-Decade teams in the 60s and 70s, Butkus garnered a slew of individual awards with six All-NFL selections, two Defensive Player of the Year Awards and eight Pro Bowls.

His hard-hitting style of play earned him several nicknames, including The Maestro of Mayhem, The Enforcer, The Animal and The Robot of Destruction.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979 in his first year of eligibility and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1978.

His No. 51 jersey was retired by the Bears in 1994.

Butkus only experienced two winning seasons in the NFL and never made the playoffs.

In 1985, the Butkus Award was established to honor the top linebackers at the high school, college and professional levels.

He also had a career after the NFL, playing off his tough-guy image and appearing in commercials for Miller Lite, Prestone, Schick and Visa, as well as film roles in “Any Given Sunday,” “Hang Time” and “The Last Boy Scout.”

Butkus is survived by his wife, Helen and three children.

Star wide receiver Cooper Kupp returned to practise on Wednesday, and could be back on the field as early as Sunday for the Los Angeles Rams' home game against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles.

Kupp injured his hamstring during training camp in early August, and the team placed him on injured reserve, ruling him out for at least four games.

The Rams announced Wednesday, they've designated Kupp to return, starting his 21-day practise window. He can be activated at any point over the next three weeks, or the team will be forced to shut him down for the remainder of the season.

Los Angeles coach Sean McVay, however, has hinted his return could be imminent.

If Kupp does suit up against 4-0 Philadelphia, it's uncertain if he'll be on a play count, as it would be his first game since Week 10 of the 2022 season after he missed the final eight contests with an ankle injury.

Kupp had 75 receptions for 812 yards and six TDs last year before getting hurt following a sensational 2021 season that saw him be named the Offensive Player of the Year.

Two seasons ago, Kupp led the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16), then added six scores during the Rams’ playoff run that ended with a title and Kupp being named Super Bowl 56 MVP.

Although the Rams are missing one of the league's top receivers this season, Matthew Stafford has found a new favourite target to keep the offence rolling.

Rookie Puka Nacua leads the NFL with 39 receptions - the most by any receiver in league history through four games - while his 501 receiving yards trail only Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson's 543 for the most in the NFL. Nacua's first career touchdown was a memorable one, as he scored on a 22-yard reception in overtime last Sunday to lead the Rams to a 29-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts to improve Los Angeles to 2-2.

Another relatively unknown receiver has also stepped up for the Rams, with Tutu Atwell catching 22 passes for 270 yards.