Rams Add Defensive Reinforcements Before Bills Survivor Call
Oct 9, 2026
Los Angeles got a boost on the practice field Thursday: Aaron Donald and Jaylen Watson were back for the Rams, giving the defense a chance to be at closer to full strength when Josh Allen and the Bills come to town. Reinforcements up front and in the secondary matter against a quarterback like Allen, and the timing couldn't be better with kickoff set for Week 5.
What it means for your Week 5 survivor pick
The Rams are only 3-point home favorites over Buffalo — a close line that keeps this off the list of comfortable survivor plays, even with the defensive bodies returning. A field goal of cushion against a quarterback of Allen's caliber is exactly the kind of coin-flip game you'd rather sidestep in a free NFL survivor pool unless your pool is forcing your hand.
If you're eyeing either team down the road, the schedule gets friendlier fast. The Rams are massive 13.5-point home favorites against Arizona in Week 6, then lay 8.5 on the road at Las Vegas in Week 7 — both stronger survivor looks than this week's tight spot. Buffalo, meanwhile, is a 6.5-point favorite at Las Vegas in Week 6 but only a 2.5-point home favorite over Baltimore in Week 8, another game to approach carefully.
Bottom line: the injury news helps the Rams' outlook, but a -3 line says this is a hold-your-breath game, not a lock. Bank the bigger LAR spreads later and check the rest of our NFL survivor pool picks before you commit.