Rams running back Kyren Williams is expected to miss the team’s upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday after an MRI of his ankle showed an ankle sprain, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The injury is not expected to be serious for Williams, but that will still be enough to keep him out.
Meanwhile, his backup, Ronnie Rivers, is out with a PCL Sprain. He could head to injured reserve and is expected to miss four to five weeks. Right now, the backups to those two are rookie Zach Evans and veteran running back Royce Freeman, who will likely lead the way on Sunday.
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.
Williams suffered the injury on Sunday in the Rams’ game against the Arizona Cardinals. 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.
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.