The Los Angeles Rams have seen their top two wide receivers suffer scary injuries in their first two games of the season, first Puca Nacua in Week 1, then Cooper Kupp in Week 2.
It remains to be seen how long, if at all, Kupp will miss after injuring his ankle and being forced out of the Rams humiliating Week 2 loss against the Cardinals. We'll know more about that in the coming days and will update this article.
We do know Nacua is out for a minimum of four games after being placed on IR. Some reports suggest Nacua could miss seven weeks.
These injuries open the door for the Rams' backup wide receivers to take on a bigger role, specifically Jordan Whittington. Tutu Atwell, Demarcus Robinson, and Tyler Johnson. Each should see an uptick in playing time, but Whittington offers the highest value.
Whittington, a rookie out of Texas, played 100% of the snaps after Kupp was injured. He only had 2 catches and 2 targets for 22 yards in that time, but Whittington profiles favorably in the Rams offense.
A 6-foot-1, 202-pound, Whittington has the size to make contested catches and the ability to take short passes and turn them into long gains. He's fearless on crossing routes and had a rushing TD in Week 1 that was called back because of a penalty. He fits closely into the role Nacua was expected to play, though he benefited most in terms of playing time after Kupp's injury.
Robinson and Johnson, meanwhile, saw their target counts drop from 7 to 4 and 7 to 2 in Week 1 vs Week 2, respectively. The veterans will see the field often, but they're inconsistent. It's hard to start them any week.
Atwell saw the field more after Kupp was injured and turned 3 catches into 48 yards. He had 39 catches for 483 yards and 3 TDs with Kupp out most of last season. But if that's his ceiling, it's not enticing for fantasy managers.
Whittington has the highest upside in this pass-happy offense. He was clearly Kupp's primary backup based on the aforementioned snap count statistics and should play a bigger role as he gets more practice reps with QB Matt Stafford.
Keep a close eye on Kupp's injury updates, as we'll be doing, but keep the name Jordan Whittington in mind as we approach waiver wires.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jordan Whittington Offers Biggest Fantasy Football Upside Amidst Cooper Kupp Injury.
