Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and head to injured reserve, missing at least the next four games following an ineffective season-opening performance in Melbourne, Australia, according to sources speaking to The Associated Press on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Depth Chart Reshuffle: Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske will absorb increased reps on early run downs to compensate for the missing two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
The Anatomy of an Opening-Week Setback
The Los Angeles Rams expected a triumphant return to form when they traveled to Melbourne for their Week 1 fixture. Instead, the trip exposed critical vulnerabilities in a 27-7 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers. Compounding the scoreboard misery, the front office learned that marquee acquisition Myles Garrett gutted through a lingering knee issue that ultimately forced his shutdown.
According to confirmation provided to The Athletic, Garrett suffered the knee injury early in training camp. The star pass-rusher managed the swelling for weeks through rest, rehabilitation, and limited practice participation. But the tape from Melbourne showed a player laboring under physical duress.
“This was the worst version of myself that I’ve put out there, and I’ve got to be better,” Garrett stated after recording zero tackles, sacks, or quarterback hits in just the fourth scoreless statistical outing of his career.
Front-Office Capital and the Aaron Donald Factor
The timing of Garrett’s absence stings given the massive capital general manager Les Snead deployed to secure him from the Cleveland Browns. To land the two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Los Angeles shipped Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-rounder eastward.
Landing Garrett was also the catalyst that convinced three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald to step out of a two-year retirement and rejoin the franchise. Donald did not travel to Melbourne, choosing to ramp up his conditioning stateside. Now, the tandem fans and analysts dreamed of seeing on the tactical whiteboard must wait until at least Week 6.
| Player | Status | Projected Return | Immediate Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myles Garrett | Injured Reserve (Knee Surgery) | Week 6 (Oct. 18 vs. Arizona) | Missing at least 4 games; zero defensive stats in Week 1. |
| Aaron Donald | Conditioning / Ramping Up | Unannounced (Did not travel to Australia) | Deferred debut alongside the defensive front. |
| Trent McDuffie | Active | Playing (Week 2 vs. Giants) | Two-time All-Pro cornerback acts as anchor for depleted defense. |
Tactical Redirection and Depth Chart Adaptations
Coach Sean McVay now faces a distinct schematic challenge.
The burden shifts immediately to Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart to generate pressure off the edge. Meanwhile, interior disruptors Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske will see expanded snaps on run-defense downs to plug gaps left by the rotation. The Rams managed zero sacks and just two quarterback hits against San Francisco, numbers that must improve drastically before facing the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in Week 2.
The defense did find one bright spot in two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, whose coverage metrics remained elite despite the lopsided score. But until Garrett works his way back from arthroscopic intervention—targeting an October 18 return against the Arizona Cardinals—the Rams’ front seven must rely on internal depth to survive the opening canvas of the 2026 campaign.
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