Blake Grupe Knee Injury: Rams Kicker Doubtful to Return in Debut

Published during the first half of Sunday’s Week 6 game. Los Angeles listed kicker Blake Grupe as doubtful to return because of a knee injury. No diagnosis or Week 7 timetable had been announced at publication.

Blake Grupe’s Los Angeles Rams debut took a brutal turn almost immediately. Grupe made a 44 yard field goal on his first attempt for the Rams, then injured his knee while helping stop Arizona returner Devin Duvernay on the ensuing kickoff. The Rams quickly classified Grupe as doubtful to return against the Cardinals.

That left Los Angeles without the specialist it had signed only days earlier to stabilize an already turbulent kicking operation. Punter Ethan Evans was seen working on kicks into the sideline net. CBS Sports also reported that wide receiver Jordan Whittington could handle holding duties if Evans is needed for field goals or extra points.

What is confirmed about Blake Grupe’s injury

The confirmed information is limited but important. Grupe made a 44 yard field goal, participated on the following kickoff, was hurt while making the tackle and received a doubtful designation because of a knee injury. He went through the sideline evaluation process and did not immediately resume his normal role.

A doubtful designation during the game makes a return unlikely, but it is not a medical diagnosis. The Rams had not announced the structure involved, the severity of the injury or whether Grupe would require imaging. Any recovery estimate before the team provides a postgame update would be speculation.

Why the Rams’ kicking plan changes immediately

Losing a kicker changes more than field goal attempts. It affects extra points, kickoffs, fourth down decisions and the distances the offense must reach before a scoring attempt becomes realistic. Head coach Sean McVay may be more willing to keep the offense on the field on fourth down, especially outside short field goal range.

Evans can provide emergency leg strength, but asking a punter to handle placekicking creates a new operation. The snap, hold, approach and timing all have to work together. If Whittington becomes the holder, Los Angeles would be using an emergency combination rather than its normal specialist group. That makes even routine extra points less automatic than they appeared before kickoff.

The kickoff plan matters too. Grupe was injured after Duvernay’s return carried deep enough for the kicker to become the last line of defense. If Evans handles kickoffs, the Rams must decide whether to chase touchbacks, use directional kicks or accept a different trajectory and coverage demand.

Fantasy football impact

Fantasy managers who started Grupe should check their platform’s scoring rules. His made 44 yard field goal should count, but his doubtful status sharply limits the possibility of additional points in this game. Standard fantasy leagues do not allow an in-game substitution, so there is usually no lineup move available once the Rams game has started.

The more actionable question is Week 7. Grupe should not be automatically dropped until the Rams provide a diagnosis, but kicker is a replaceable position in most leagues. Managers without injured reserve flexibility should be prepared to stream another option if Grupe misses practice or if Los Angeles adds a kicker early in the week.

The injury can slightly change the fantasy environment around Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ skill players. More fourth down attempts could create extra offensive snaps and touchdown opportunities, while failed conversions could shorten drives. It is too early to turn that possibility into a firm projection, but red zone decision making deserves attention for the rest of Sunday’s game.

Rams D/ST managers should not treat the kicker injury as a reason to bench the unit in future weeks. The more relevant concern is field position. Missed kicks, short kickoffs or failed fourth downs can give opponents shorter fields, which may indirectly affect points allowed.

Grupe had just replaced Harrison Mevis

The timing makes the injury especially difficult for Los Angeles. The Rams signed Grupe from the New York Jets’ practice squad on Wednesday after moving on from Harrison Mevis. Mevis had missed a field goal in regulation and had a potential overtime winner blocked in the Rams’ 37 to 34 loss to Buffalo.

Grupe arrived with recent evidence that he could steady the position. The Rams noted that he made all 11 of his field goal attempts during a five game stint with Indianapolis late in 2025, including four makes from at least 50 yards. Reuters reported that Grupe entered Sunday having converted 86 of 105 career field goals, an 81.9 percent rate, and 96 of 98 extra points across 50 NFL games.

The Rams do not need to make a roster decision before the medical evaluation is complete. Still, the front office may need to begin contingency work quickly because Los Angeles visits the Raiders in Week 7. A workout or practice squad addition would be a practical insurance move even if Grupe has a chance to play.

What to watch next

The first checkpoint is whether Grupe is formally ruled out before Sunday’s game ends. The second is McVay’s postgame explanation of the injury and the emergency kicking operation. The most important information should arrive with an official diagnosis, a roster move or the Rams’ first Week 7 practice report.

Fantasy managers should watch for three signals: whether Grupe practices, whether Los Angeles signs another kicker and whether Evans continues emergency placekicking work. If the Rams add a veteran early in the week, that player could become a viable streamer only after the job is clearly assigned.

Sources

NFL.com Week 6 injury tracker: https://www.nfl.com/news/notable-injuries-news-sunday-week-6-games-2026

Los Angeles Rams background on Grupe’s signing and recent kicking history: https://www.therams.com/news/blake-grupe-everything-that-s-happened-in-my-career-has-led-me-to-where-i-m-at-right-here-today-with-this-team

NBC Sports in-game injury report: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/rams-k-blake-grupe-doubtful-to-return-after-making-tackle-on-first-kickoff

CBS Sports emergency kicking details: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/rams-kicker-blake-grupe-suffers-knee-injury-updates/

Reuters transaction and career statistics: https://www.reuters.com/sports/report-rams-release-k-harrison-mevis-sign-k-blake-grupe--flm-2026-10-13/