The Los Angeles Rams could be significantly short-handed on Sunday as they get ready for their Week 6 rematch against the Arizona Cardinals. Steve Avila, Puka Nacua, Trent McDuffie, Kam Curl, and Terrance Ferguson were all projected as non-participants in Wednesday’s walkthrough, with most of them likely to miss the game.

One player that the Rams will hope to get back this week is cornerback Trent McDuffie. After McDuffie returned against the Los Angeles Chargers, he missed last week’s game with a back injury. 

“I think we're optimistic that this week he will be able to go,” said head coach Sean McVay. “With the injury that he sustained, it's weird because you have these muscles around it in the back, which in some of the movement, especially at his position. He's so damn tough but you want to make sure that you're putting him in a position to have a successful outcome.”

The Rams are set to be without Puka Nacua, Steve Avila, and Terrance Ferguson against the Cardinals. McVay noted on Wednesday that the Rams won’t place Nacua on injured reserve due to the limited return designations they have available. With Avila and Ferguson, the Rams are expecting both to be out a few weeks. 

Also showing up on Wednesday’s injury report were Joe Cardona, Davis Allen, Colby Parkinson, and Myles Garrett, who were all projected as limited participants. Cardona has missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Allen and Parkinson will be players to monitor throughout the week. While Garrett showed up on the injury report, that shouldn’t be surprising going forward. The Rams will likely manage him during the week to ensure that he’s ready for gameday. 

Despite the Rams being as injured as they are, the Cardinals might be in a worse spot. The Cardinals are set to be without Gardner Minshew, meaning Carson Beck will get his first career start against the Rams. Additionally, Michael Wilson injured his neck and will be out. 

Hjalte Froholdt (concussion), Jon Gaines (ankle), and Roy Lopez (toe/ankle) were all non-participants for the Cardinals on Wednesday as well. 

The Rams have dealt with injuries throughout the season, but the situation has become especially challenging over the last few weeks. With several key starters expected to miss Sunday's game, the Rams will once again have to rely on their depth to avoid getting swept by the Cardinals. They’ve managed to win three straight games despite their injuries, but continuing that success without players like Nacua and Avila won’t be easy.