How quickly can 3 injured Rams recover in time for Week 15 clash on TNF?

Infirmary Room III: TE Tyler Higbee

The LA Rams have toughed out the entire season so far without the benefit of starting tight end Tyler Higbee. Now, after more than three months into the 2024 NFL season, that could all be changing. After suffering a brutal season-ending ACL injury in the Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs against the Detroit Lions, Higbee has been busy trying to get himself back to health. And now, in Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season, it appears that his trek back to the active Rams roster may be at an end:

However the coaches handle his return, he appears to be on track to playing in Week 15.

Now the question becomes, if Higbee is healthy, do the Rams simply insert him into the lineup and give him a full workload as the team's uncontested starter? Or will the Rams give him a small sample early in Week 15, evaluate how well he feels and performs from that sample, to gauge how many offensive snaps he can handle in the second half?

Plan B

The Rams have opted for a tight end by committee approach since their Week 6 BYE. And the results of that rapid rotation of tight ends has been rather successful, as the team has won six of their eight games since that Week 6 BYE. So the alternative to playing Tyler Higbee in Week 15 is simply to continue the current pattern of rotating the healthy and available tight ends.

Of course, Colby Parkinson has been the most effective tight ends on the roster in terms of catching passes. He hauled in three of five passes against the 49ers in Week 3 for 21 yards. If Higbee does not suit up, Parkinson could be the beneficiary of a larger role if the offense likes matching up tight ends against the 49ers in Week 15.

The Rams deployed two tight ends in 45 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 3. The result? An efficient and turnover-free offense that managed to score 10 unanswered points in the final three minutes of the game to pull off a come-from-behind victory.

Nobody like injuries, and that is doubly true for an LA Rams team that seems to have had more than their fair share this season. But after closer inspection, the team appears to have viable options on the table if the current Rams injuries prevent starters from suiting up for Week 15.

It's Week 15 and the Rams must face the 49ers, so nothing is guaranteed. But at least the Rams seem to be in a better place than this time just one week ago.

As always, thanks for reading.

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