Week 1 is right around the corner, which means it's time for the Los Angeles Rams' first depth chart of the regular season. They released their unofficial depth chart for Week 1 on Thursday, updating the previous edition from the start of the preseason.
There aren't any huge surprises, but we can glean a few things from it. Here are six takeaways from the Rams' initial depth chart for Week 1.
Stetson Bennett still (unofficially) QB2
As was the case with their first depth chart of the preseason, the Rams listed Bennett as the No. 2 quarterback ahead of Ty Simpson. Sean McVay still has not officially announced who will back up Matthew Stafford, but Bennett has had the lead all offseason and it appears he's still the favorite to be active on game days.
Again, this depth chart is unofficial
and not necessarily constructed by the coaching staff, so take it with a grain of salt.
Tutu Atwell buried as No. 7 wide receiver
The Rams acquired Atwell in a trade for Jarquez Hunter, giving them seven wide receivers to start 2026. At least for now, Atwell is the No. 7 wideout on the depth chart, behind reserves CJ Daniels and Xavier Smith. Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield are the immediate backups behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
It's not terribly surprising that the Rams buried Atwell as the last wide receiver, considering he just arrived a week ago, but we'll see how much he actually plays initially, if at all.
No clarity on TE rotation
Once again, the Rams listed four tight ends as co-starters. Tyler Higbee "or" Davis Allen at one spot, and Colby Parkinson "or" Terrance Ferguson at the other. Max Klare is then listed as the fifth tight end on the depth chart, so he seems to be behind the other four – and understandably so.
The Rams will probably use all five tight ends throughout the year, including the rookie Klare, but look for Parkinson, Higbee and Ferguson to get the most playing time.
Depth is lacking at offensive tackle
Keagen Trost's injury hurt the depth at wideout, leading to David Quessenberry being listed as the backup left tackle and right tackle. That's not unusual because a lot of teams use a swing tackle who can play both sides, but there's not a single other tackle on the depth chart behind him.
So in the event that Alaric Jackson gets suspended before Trost is ready to return, the Rams will need to add another tackle as insurance.
Aaron Donald takes Braden Fiske’s starting spot
Surprise! Aaron Donald is a starter!
No one should have expected otherwise, even if he did just come back less than a week ago – and even if he isn't certain to play against the 49ers. Predictably, he took Fiske's spot as a starting defensive end alongside Poona Ford and Kobie Turner. It remains to be seen when he'll make his 2026 debut but when he does, Fiske is likely at risk of losing the most snaps of anyone.
Xavier Smith remains the punt returner
Smith returned punts (and played wideout) in the preseason opener and then never saw the field again, a clear sign that the coaching staff loved what it saw. He had some up-and-down moments as the punt returner last season, with his muff in the NFC title game being particularly costly, but it appears the Rams are still confident in him on special teams.
Mumpfield is listed as the backup punt returner.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 6 takeaways from Rams' first depth chart of 2026 season
