Rams Rule Out Another Offensive Weapon for Matchup With 49ers

Valentina Martinez | Sep 20, 2024

Aug 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Davis Allen (87) catches the ball against Los Angeles Chargers safety AJ Finley (24) in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Rams tight end Davis Allen has been ruled out for Sunday's game with a back injury, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.

Allen didn't practice with the team on Wednesday or Thursday. Allen's absence from the offense affects flexibility with various personnel. The Rams will also be short star wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.

Allen also missed Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals with the same back injury. Colby Parkinson and Hunter Long could be two players who get a lot of reps on Sunday.

In 2023, Allen was the primary backup to Tyler Higbee. Since the Rams normally run their offense with a trio of receivers on the field, Allen didn't play much last season.

Despite his limited opportunities, Allen made sure to make the most of his performances. The tight end posted 10 catches in only 11 targets.

Allen played in the Rams' playoff loss to the Detroit Lions last season. He finished the game with two catches for 28 yards against the Lions.

This season is an opportunity to showcase his talent on a more consistent level, however, the back injury has prevented Allen from making much of an impact on the field.

The San Francisco 49ers will likely also be short three offensive weapons Sunday, including star running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, and tight end George Kittle.

McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve with Achilles tendonitis and a calf strain. Samuel is expected to miss a few weeks with a calf strain. McCaffrey and Samuel's status for the game is confirmed.

Rams head coach Sean McVay shared the sentiment of many fans when he spoke on the absence of the 49ers' stars.

"(Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey) are great players that are tremendous assets for them," McVay said via the team transcript. "But they've got a lot of other guys that they are doing that with as well, you look at the way their backs have stepped in and done an amazing job of continuing to produce at a really high level in the first two games... With those two guys out, I'm hopeful that they'll be okay, but I'm not sad that they're not playing against us."

However, Kittle's availability is up in the air. The tight end is dealing with a hamstring injury which prevented him practicing Thursday.

The Rams are looking to win their first game of the season against the division rivals.