Rams Offense Dealt Blow Before Steelers Game

The Rams offense is dealing with two injuries to its running backs ahead of their matchup against the Steelers on Sunday. Starting running back Kyren Williams has an ankle injury, while backup Ronnie Rivers has a sprained PCL. Rivers will likely miss the game, as he should miss a few weeks. Williams, on the other hand, is a bit more up in the air.

Williams will get an MRI on his ankle to determine the severity of the injury. He did return to the game, rushing for 158 yards in his best game as an NFL player. The Notre Dame product has a lot going for him after the Rams moved Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings, clearing the way for Williams to grab the starting role. This ankle injury could be a setback for Williams, though head coach Sean McVay believes Williams will be okay.

If neither play can go, rookie Zach Evans would get the start. Coming out of Ole Miss, Evans is an athletic player with a ton of pedigree. He impressed the Rams during training camp and the preseason, leading to his role now with the Rams. They picked Evans as a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and while he did not test off the charts, Evans plays like a running back with acceleration and excellent quickness.

This is a potential blow to the Rams and certainly something to watch, given how much the Steelers have struggled to stop teams on the ground. The Steelers opened as three-point underdogs for their Week 7 return to action against the Los Angeles Rams. Pittsburgh has been underdogs in four of their first five games and has done well, winning three of those four games outright. The injuries to Williams and Rivers are unlikely to affect that line much but may play a vital role in the game’s outcome.