The Los Angeles Rams got a late-week gut punch: tight end Terrance Ferguson has been ruled out of Sunday's Week 9 game against the Commanders after suffering a hamstring injury in Friday's practice.

The timing stings because Ferguson was expected to play. Head coach Sean McVay had said Friday that Ferguson — already managing an ankle issue — would return Sunday barring a setback. The setback arrived hours later on the practice field, and the Rams unexpectedly ruled him out.

The loss compounds a thinning pass-catching group. With Davante Adams already sidelined, Los Angeles has been scrambling to manufacture secondary receiving production, and Ferguson's absence removes one more option from the plan. The Rams will now have to lean further on their remaining tight ends and depth receivers against Washington.