Fantasy football beware: 5 players expected to return in Week 5

#1. Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp

Similarly to Taylor, there's truly no guarantee Cooper Kupp returns to the Rams in Week 5, but the team is activating his 21-day window to make his highly-anticipated return from IR. Head coach Sean McVay is 'hopeful' that Kupp returns on time, but it was a 'day-to-day' hamstring injury from months ago that brought fantasy football players to this point to begin with.

Rookie Puka Nacua and third-year receiver Tutu Atwell have both performed remarkably in Kupp's absence, and that alone should give McVay reason for pause. The Rams have played well, but they've only managed a 1-2 record thanks to some tough matchups and a subpar ground game.

With teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Washington Commanders, and division rival Seattle Seahawks all sitting at 2-1, the Rams need to start winning games to climb back into the wild card race. Kupp won't fix any of the team's problems, but Los Angeles also won't struggle as much to put up points, especially in the red zone.

We'll need to see Kupp get some work in practice before making any fantasy-related judgments, but it does appear that the 2021 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year is truly close to a return. Mark your calendars for Week 5, but have a contingency plan ready to go just in case.