Rams Elevate Eric Kendricks, Cam Lampkin: Week 7 Impact

The Los Angeles Rams elevated veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks and cornerback Cam Lampkin from the practice squad for Sunday’s Week 7 road game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The moves were confirmed on Saturday’s official NFL transaction wire and directly address two of Los Angeles’ most important defensive availability questions.

Inside linebacker Nate Landman has been ruled out with a concussion, while cornerback Trent McDuffie is questionable with a groin injury after missing all three practices. Kendricks gives the Rams an experienced option in the middle of the defense; Lampkin supplies insurance in the secondary and on special teams.

What the Rams changed before Week 7

Game-day elevations make Kendricks and Lampkin eligible for the active roster against Las Vegas without requiring a permanent 53-man roster move. An elevation does not guarantee either player a large snap count, but the choices closely match the week’s injury needs.

Kendricks, 34, is an 11-year veteran who joined the Rams’ practice squad on October 6. He brings extensive experience at inside linebacker, but Los Angeles has not announced that he will inherit every-down duties or the defensive communication role Landman handled. Shaun Dolac, Grant Stuard and Omar Speights remain part of the available rotation.

Lampkin spent the 2025 season on the Rams’ practice squad and appeared in four games on special teams as a rookie in 2024. He also flashed in the 2026 preseason, including an interception against Dallas and a seven-yard sack against the Chargers. His elevation gives the Rams another outside coverage option if McDuffie cannot play or is limited.

Eric Kendricks is the player to monitor for IDP

Kendricks is the more interesting elevation for fantasy managers because Landman’s absence creates real tackle opportunity. Still, opportunity is not the same as a settled role. The Rams could divide Landman’s snaps among Kendricks, Dolac, Stuard and Speights rather than handing one player a full workload.

Kendricks: Treat him as a speculative IDP add in deep, tackle-heavy leagues. He becomes a viable start only if pregame reports or early deployment indicate a near-every-down role.

Omar Speights: He remains the safer Rams linebacker to roster because he already has an established defensive role. Landman’s absence can raise his tackle ceiling even if Kendricks starts.

Nate Landman: Keep him out of Week 7 lineups. His Week 8 outlook depends on clearing the concussion protocol, so managers should wait for practice participation before planning a return.

Cam Lampkin adds secondary insurance

McDuffie’s questionable designation is the key to Lampkin’s defensive path. If McDuffie is active without a limitation, Lampkin is more likely to work in a reserve and special-teams role. If McDuffie is inactive or on a restricted snap count, Lampkin could be needed in sub-packages behind Josh Wallace and the rest of the cornerback group.

Lampkin is not an IDP starter, and his elevation does not materially change the value of individual Raiders pass catchers by itself. It does, however, reduce the risk of Los Angeles entering the game without a healthy reserve corner after McDuffie’s week of missed practice.

Rams D/ST and Raiders matchup impact

The Rams D/ST remains a volatile Week 7 play. Kendricks helps stabilize the second level, but Los Angeles is replacing its leading tackler and may also be managing a starting corner’s workload. That combination limits the defense’s fantasy floor, even against a Raiders offense that has struggled to establish consistency.

For Las Vegas, the clearest offensive pressure point remains the middle of the field. The Raiders can test a reshuffled linebacker group with tight ends, play action and short throws that force Kendricks and the Rams’ safeties to communicate immediately. Lampkin’s role matters more on the perimeter if McDuffie cannot go.

Fantasy verdict: Kendricks is a deep-league IDP watch-list player, not an automatic starter. Speights gets the cleaner tackle-volume bump. Lampkin carries no standard fantasy value. The Rams D/ST stays in the matchup-streamer range rather than becoming a set-and-forget option.

What to watch before kickoff

The Rams and Raiders kick off Sunday at 1:25 p.m. Pacific at Allegiant Stadium. The inactives list will settle McDuffie’s status, while the opening defensive series should reveal whether Kendricks has a primary role or is part of a committee. Those two answers will matter more than the elevations alone for IDP and D/ST decisions.

The bottom line is straightforward: Los Angeles added the right types of reinforcements for its two biggest defensive questions, but fantasy managers should not confuse roster availability with guaranteed usage.

Sources

NFL.com, Saturday league news roundup: https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-news-roundup-latest-league-updates-from-saturday-oct-24

Los Angeles Rams, Week 7 injury report: https://www.therams.com/news/rams-injury-report-week-7-2026-at-raiders-puka-nacua-trent-mcduffie-questionable-nate-landman-out

Los Angeles Rams, Eric Kendricks profile: https://www.therams.com/team/players-roster/eric-kendricks/

Los Angeles Rams, Cam Lampkin profile: https://www.therams.com/team/players-roster/cam-lampkin/

Los Angeles Rams, 2026 preseason player feature: https://www.therams.com/news/5-rams-players-to-watch-vs-chiefs-preseason-week-1-206

Las Vegas Raiders, Week 7 injury report: https://www.raiders.com/news/las-vegas-raiders-los-angeles-rams-week-7-injury-report-2026

Factual cutoff: October 24, 2026, 9:35 p.m. Central Time.