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The past couple of months haven't been pleasant for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. He missed the final eight games of the 2022 regular season with an ankle sprain. Then, the veteran wideout suffered a hamstring injury early in training camp.
He returned to practice last week and was "on track" to play in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. But on Thursday afternoon, head coach Sean McVay said Kupp suffered a setback with his hamstring injury.
Will he be ready for Week 1? Should you still draft him in the first round? Let's dive in.
Will Cooper Kupp Be Ready By Week 1?
On August 1, Kupp tweaked his hamstring during a training camp practice. He didn't return to the field until August 23 for the first time in three weeks. Despite taking three full weeks off, the Rams felt the wideout was in a great spot heading into the season. The 30-year-old veteran was on track to play in Week 1.
But even though Kupp was running well in practice all of last week, the wideout suffered a "setback" with his hamstring injury. McVay also added that he is dealing with a "muscle strain" and is currently day-to-day.
Despite previously being on track to play in Week 1, his status for the start of the year is now obviously up in the air. Hamstring injuries tend to linger. With Kupp dealing with a muscle strain, it's not a sure thing anymore that he will suit up against the Seahawks to open the season.
Cooper Kupp 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
Kupp was a sure top-six pick in fantasy drafts heading into training camp. He was the number one overall wide receiver in 2021 and averaged 22.3 PPR fantasy points last season in nine games. If not for his ankle injury, the former Pro Bowler was well on his way to another top wideout finish.
However, his recent hamstring setback is extremely concerning. There's a good chance he won't be available for Week 1 and possibly even longer than that.
Drafting injured players is always a no-go in fantasy football, especially with soft tissue injuries. He is now a risky pick in the first round of your fantasy drafts. We don't know how severe his setback was, or how long he'll be out. But this could turn Kupp into a nice value pick in the second round if your league mates pass on him in the first round.
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